Prices in the stock markets have been dropping recently. Last night, on Christmas Eve, there was a massive sell-off. According to NPR, this has been the worst December for stocks since 1931. My Facebook news feed is filled with posts from people lamenting the losses. Everyone seems to think it’s a terrible thing.
The value of my investments have dropped along with those of everyone else who owns stocks, but it doesn’t seem to bother me at all. To me, it seems like everyone is upset because the sun went away and it started raining. Rain happens, and rain is necessary for growth. It can’t, and won’t, be sunny all the time.
There was a time in my life when my net-worth would fluctuate by six-figure amounts on a daily basis. When it was up, I felt great; when it was down, I felt terrible. It was very distracting. I’m not like that anymore. Perhaps it’s because I have less money now. Perhaps it’s because I’ve lived through enough cycles to know that this is only temporary. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been recognizing that I am not able to control what happens. But it’s probably mostly because I’m beginning to understand that none of this has anything to do with me.
There is a body and brain called Duncan, a legal entity. That entity can be associated with various theoretical objects that “belong” to it. Thoughts, feelings, and other kinds of…
