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War, Markets, and the Fear of Collapse
A Realistic Look at Crisis Psychology and Financial Cycles
Maximillian Parker7 min read·Just now--
There is an old saying in the halls of Berkshire that has served us well through many a dark night: “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.” Today, as we look at the headlines, that patience is being tested in a way we haven’t seen in quite some time. When the drums of war beat and geopolitical crises escalate, the first question on everyone’s lips is always the same: “Is everything about to crash?”
It is a natural human reaction to feel a sense of dread when the world seems to be coming apart at the seams. We are wired for survival, and in the modern world, survival is often tied to the numbers on a screen. But as an investor, you must learn to separate your human emotions from your financial decisions. If you let the headlines dictate your portfolio, you are essentially letting the most volatile and short-sighted forces in the world manage your wealth. I have lived through many wars, many crises, and many “sure-fire” crashes. And if there is one thing I have learned, it is that while the world may change, the principles of value and the resilience of human enterprise do not.
