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The original was posted on /r/collapse by /u/adamska_w on 2025-07-09 07:57:58+00:00.

My take is inspired by the behavior of The New York Stock Exchange since January 2025.

Despite companies like Tesla (which make up a notable % of the S&P 500 index)

experiencing abysmal sales revenues.

Despite Trump’s tariffs (which should rationally add terrifying volatility to the market).

Despite the private sector losing 33,000 jobs in June 2025.

Despite 1000+ layoffs everyday across tech, gaming, and the federal government.

Despite the potential of Ai displacing 1000s of more jobs,

leading to consumers having less disposable income to spend on goods and services,

requiring less goods and services to be produced,

leading to fewer job requirements (and the circle goes on).

Despite the wars that have impacted supply chains.

Despite all of this and the news headlines:

If you (as a regular investor, a retirement account holder, or an institutional investor) had any dollars simply invested in the S&P 500 at the beginning of this year, you’re over 6% richer.

Make that exactly a year ago and you’re 11.63% richer.

Make that 5 years and whatever money you inputted in 2020 is now nearly a 100% higher.

Here’s the problem -

Most people’s retirement accounts are passively invested in the market.

Meaning, you could be a socialist environmentalist who advises all your friends to not have children.

But, your retirement account grows everyday,

that Ai is given free reign to burn the planet to an ash ball.

This also means, because most people are passively invested on a monthly basis,

the market itself can just keep going up.

Despite low sales. Despite lay offs.

Because the stocks are in demand.

You could get laid off and have to downgrade to a shittier job.

Be buying less goods. Be in credit card debt for survival purchases up to your eyeballs.

But even at your shittier job, you’d have your retirement account.

And employer matching contributions.

The market keeps going up. Because the stocks keep being demanded and bought.

Because we keep demanding them. Because we rationally want to peacefully retire.

But of course, that gives a sanction to all these corporations to do whatever they want.

And they want to maximize profits and shareholder value. Even if the world burns.

We are also those shareholders.

We are part of the problem.