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Zachjsrf t1_iy3bzqc wrote

Reply to comment by mushroompig in [OC] I sell options for a living. Here is a glimpse into what a typical month looks like. My October performance. by ShallowNefariousness

Wow, imagine hating on someone for making a living the best way they know how

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Simbertold t1_iy3cm3h wrote

It is not really about hate, and more about sadness.

Imagine if all the people who do pointless bullshit like this were doing stuff that actually benefits society. OP could have been an engineer, a scientist, a nurse, a teacher, a doctor, a dogwalker, a prostitute, a construction worker,...

Instead they are playing a pointless negative-sum game with the goal of winning at it. Because that is rewarded more by our system than doing useful work.

This is basically like professional poker, but even more stupid.

So many people are wasting their lives doing this pointless shit that doesn't help anyone in any way.

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Zachjsrf t1_iy3cvu0 wrote

Not everyone is able to do all those things, I work in Construction but if I could trade full time like OP I certainly would, society doesn't care about those who contribute anymore and OP still does more than most people do. The real problem isn't what OP does to eat the issue is that the system has been in place for over a century and the people in charge like it that way, instead of railing against it and screaming about how "bad" it is OP and many other including myself are trying to look after ourselves and those we care about

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Simbertold t1_iy3d8ss wrote

Not everyone is able to do all of those things, but everyone is able to do something useful.

And yeah, i agree that it is a core problem that people who play pointless games get rewarded more than people who do real work.

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Zachjsrf t1_iy3dcd0 wrote

One thing I've found as I've advanced in my career, the less work I've done as I've advanced the more I make, that's the system, that's the reality, gotta work with what we've got

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Zachincool t1_iy3gos8 wrote

I fucking love capitalism. I love the fact that I can work hard in construction and make enough money that I can choose to invest or gamble it in financial markets and grow my wealth exponentially. I love being able to consciously take on risk and choose my own destiny, rather than being born and boxed into an income cap and not be able to change my life ever.

The fact that you find this "sad" is messed up and sad in itself.

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ProFoxxxx t1_iy3cwxz wrote

Options are usually used to hedge investments. Investments create all the jobs for the engineers and scientists etc that you mention that benefit society

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WR810 t1_iy3e7nd wrote

> Imagine if all the people who do pointless bullshit like this were doing stuff that actually benefits society. OP could have been an engineer, a scientist, a nurse, a teacher, a doctor, a dogwalker, a prostitute, a construction worker

This makes a problematic declaration. Not only does it remove the original poster's right to self determination (what if he doesn't want to fit inside the box you constructed?) but it assumes that only things that "benefit" others in a specific way are acceptable.

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iproblyrong t1_iy3epr4 wrote

Interesting take from someone wasting so much time complaining on Reddit. Spreading your negative energy is worse than a human freely choosing their path in life.

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CoysNizl3 t1_iy3d47g wrote

Options are hedging instruments. He is providing a service. Just because you’re midcurve and don’t understand the value of options doesn’t mean that he isn’t doing something “of value”.

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griwulf t1_iy3dlsk wrote

First time I see midcurve used to insult someone lol

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Effective_Hope_3071 t1_iy3ehye wrote

We can all agree that financial derivatives get muddier and muddier, and maybe some do exist solely to intimidate the layperson unwilling to learn into hiring an active manager, gross.

Essentially don't hate the player, hate the game. But you gotta play to score.

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autistictheory t1_iy3nmkq wrote

is something useful just because you say it is?

What if I said national sports teams is pointless and all the athletes should do something "useful" like building bridges and infrastructure.

or acting and movies are pointless because its just entertainment they should be farming and generating crops to feed people instead.

It wouldn't matter because even if 1 person enjoyed watching sports and movies then there would be a market for it, and there will be people to provide it if they can generate revenue from it.

In a similar way, even if the whole world thought options were useles, if there was even one person in the whole world who found value in purchasing a contract then the option has value.

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Simbertold t1_iy3v1gz wrote

My core definition would be that if your main job is making sure that you (or someone else) gets a bigger part of the pie without increasing the pie, then your job is pointless. Basically, goon jobs. Tradionally that would mean beating people up, nowadays we have financial traders and lawyers who do stuff like that.

Edit: In your examples, the people produce something useful. Athletes and actors provide fun for other people. That fun wouldn't exist if the job wouldn't be done.

The options trader does not produce anything, they just try to make their part of the pie bigger at the cost of other people.

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autistictheory t1_iy3yfmx wrote

options are generally used as a hedge against their investment holdings. just because you don't think it has value doesn't mean there aren't other people who value that.

The fact that OP made profits on this venture is just proving exactly the same thing as what you say about athletes and actors. There are people paying for the service of purchasing options contracts and thats all that needs to be said.

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