Sosnoff / Ratigan - Truth or Skepticism from tastylive
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Last week, news was made when a quadriplegic man with a chip implanted in his brain allowed him to manipulate the chess pieces on a computer game. Moving the pieces on a chessboard are one thing, but the implications go far beyond games. The potential for what these chips can do is virtually unlimited. That may seem fantastic in some instances, but what are the implications? What kind of personal control would be sacrificed? Tune in this week as Tom and Dylan debate the future of human chipping.
'The Front Page of the Internet' and the potential strengths and drawbacks involved in Reddit's upcoming IPO. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan debate being bullish on the 'the best social media app, pound-for-pound' and if it's justified bringing new players to the table.
For many college graduates, they enter the workforce and are unable to land a job related to their field of study. The jobs they end up with often pay less. Starting out earning less than their potential sets them on a lifetime path of under-earning relative to their potential. In many instances, these graduates are also saddled with student debt. It's fair to ask if the cost of a college degree is actually worth it. Tom and Dylan debate the value and necessity of a college degree on this week's episode
You have to take risk to make progress or be successful. One of the unique aspects of success in the business community is the reliance it creates. Companies like Facebook, Google and X are incredibly successful in the social media space. The bring a utility billions of people are using. The flip side to that is, if any one of those companies is hacked or goes down for some reason, the repercussions are exponential. It's single point of failure risk. Is that just a function of how success works or is it something deserving of more concern? Tom and Dylan debate that on this week's episode.
* * When politicians buy options or stock and those trades are profitable, it's natural to wonder if they are trading on non-public information and gaining an unfair advantage. Sure, there's an argument to be made legislators should trade so they understand markets. But if trading and understanding leads to the appearance of impropriety and a corrupt government, is it worth it? Tune into this week's episode to hear Tom and Dylan hash it out. * * *
There is no place in life where being passive leads to success. Finance is no different. However, there are plenty of people out there who will tell you different. Who will tell you it's too hard. Who will tell you financial media is going to hurt your finances. The truth is a little different because at a minimum, financial media generates engagement. It leads to discussion and hopefully, further learning. Tom and Dylan discuss the role of financial media on this week's episode.
Artificial intelligence is improving at a pace we can no longer really control. It's evolution on steroids. Today, there are companies that can use publicly available information to replicate your thoughts. Want to have dinner with John Kennedy? No problem. Want to know what Abraham Lincoln thinks about the state of our politics? Just ask. But what about when replications are used to manipulate? This week, Tom and Dylan discuss the future of AI and if it's a positive development or a threat.
Tom Sosnoff and Dylan Ratigan dissect Elon Musk's recent legal tussle, in which he sought a hefty share compensation from the Tesla board, a request promptly dismissed by a discerning judge. Despite their typical pro-innovator stance, Tom and Dylan agree with the judicial decision. Delve into this episode of Truth or Skepticism to unravel their compelling rationale.
* * There's a perception out there that individual self-directed investors need to be protected from themselves. Take the recent bitcoin ETFs. Mainstream media is saying individual investors got left holding the bag. But did they? The truth is investors have been long bitcoin for year and used the ETF launches to take profits. Also this week, are regulations simply a derivative of bull and bear markets? Calls for more regulations always come in bear markets. In bull markets, no one wants more regulation but regulations don't have a material effect on bull markets. This week, Tom and Dylan cover bitcoin and regulations. * * *
If you invest in a company because you believe in the founder, are you investing in a company or are you investing in the person? Take it a step further. Imagine that founder comes back and says they have another business idea and want more money or else they'll develop the new business on the side. Is that blackmail or is it a fair ask? That's the current situation with Tesla and Elon Musk. Elon is asking for a new compensation package, otherwise he's going to develop some of his other business ideas, like AI, outside the ecosystem of Tesla. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss whether Elon is setting a dangerous precedent or if he's entitled to ask for greater compensation.
Is social media really a threat or is it just a scapegoat? Each generation thinks the next generation is being dumbed down by media consumption. Social media is the most recent battlefield. There is evidence that social media is addictive and has the ability to affect decision making as a result of curated feeds. On this week's episode Tom argues social media is no more a threat than television. Dylan has a different take. This and more on this week's Truth or Skepticism.
We all like a good story. There's nothing wrong with that. However, when we trust the story at the expense of the facts, we have a problem. Markets are the ultimate deciders. The information available in a liquid marketplace ultimately gets parsed down, resulting in prices reflective of true value. Outside of the market; however, facts have become disputable. When that happens, it becomes hard to value anything. Check out this week's episode to hear Tom and Dylan discuss the role of facts in the marketplace and beyond.
We're in the midst of a transformative era of personal finance. Whether it's sports betting, crypto, or equity and futures markets, self-directed retail investors are more engaged than ever. Members of the old guard, like Charlie Munger, are passing away after decades long careers that allowed them to achieve guru-like status. The question becomes, who steps into the spotlight once occupied by the Charlie Munger's and Jack Bogel's of the world? Or should the question we ask be, does anyone need to step into the spotlight? On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss the passing of Charlie Munger and if this represents a tipping point where technology and math replace investing gurus.
* In a recent Bloomberg column, a startling revelation emerged: Financial institutions now generate a staggering 90% of their new revenue from asset price increases, rather than from attracting fresh clients. The truth is becoming clear – most financial institutions are heavily reliant on the significant 10% of their clients for a whopping 90% of their revenue. * Join us this week on "Truth or Skepticism" for an exclusive inside look into how the finance industry is undergoing a profound transformation, breaking away from traditional norms. Discover the seismic shifts that are redefining the landscape of finance
Why are bonds down so much this year when stocks are up? If they’re both looking at the same world, you would think they would trade similarly. On this week’s episode, Dylan asks Tom to explain the discrepancy. Tune in to hear Tom’s explanation and why he thinks Dylan is a victim of the types of questions old men ask.
The most common reason we hear about people being passive investors is fear of risk. Risk of the unknown. However, we’ve dedicated our professional careers demonstrating outlier risk rarely happens and even when it does hit, markets absorb and recover almost immediately. War. Pandemic. Markets have a resiliency that’s a function of their efficiency. The only real threat anymore is size. Sizing inappropriately isn’t risk, it’s a self-inflected wound. Tune into this week’s episode as Tom and Dylan discuss how market efficiency has made it possible to absorb any outlier risk
Scan a handful of newspaper headlines and you might thing the world is worse off than it’s ever been. Now look at a chart of the stock market over the last 9 months and you’ll have a different takeaway. On this week’s episode Tom admits to being “public” and wrong about what the market truly reflects. Also, in light of the strikes in the auto industry, is the private sector actually more efficient than government?
If you have a set of unique talents, there’s no better time to look for a job or ask for better compensation than at a time when the labor pool is nearly empty. Unemployment is well below 4% and the number of people seeking jobs is small. Should we really be surprised labor unions are threatening to strike or already striking? Also, what’s driving the DOJ’s pursuit of Google? Is it because they really feel they have a case or is it just a stickup? All this and more on this week’s episode.
We’re seeing governments intervening in markets on multiple continents. In China, state employees have been banned from using foreign mobile phones. In Europe, the EU enacted new regulations with hopes of spurring competition. Are these moves out of desperation or just low hanging fruit for regulators looking to say they’re fighting for the little guy? Tom and Dylan discuss this and more on this week’s episode.
If financial institutions had a three strike rule, Wells Fargo would have been out a long time ago. The bank is back in the news this week after being fined yet again. Financial reprimands haven’t worked thus far. The question becomes, when do regulators threaten to shut down the bank? On this week’s podcast, Tom and Dylan take a look at the situation with Wells Fargo, the impact of just a handful of stocks on the broader market and what the price of bitcoin might imply.
