Posts

Showing posts from October, 2024

Morne Patterson - Investor Psychology: How Behavioural Economics Shapes Decisions in Uncertain Times

Image
  Leading financial institutions have found that psychological factors drive about 80% of investment decisions, especially when markets are volatile. Market outcomes largely depend on investor psychology, which often causes people to deviate from rational economic decisions. These behavioural patterns have become more important as global markets experience uncertainty and complexity. Research in behavioural finance shows how cognitive biases and emotions affect investment performance in all types of market conditions. Investors develop financial bias patterns through several ways - they become overconfident in their judgement, seek information that confirms their beliefs, and tend to follow the crowd. Understanding these psychological dynamics helps investors create better strategies to manage risk and optimise returns when markets become challenging. The Foundations of Behavioural Economics Richard Thaler and fellow economists introduced behavioural economics in the 1970s. They

Morne Patterson - Why Big Tech Censorship Threatens Free Speech in America

Image
  The influence of big tech companies on public discourse has become an increasing concern in recent years. Total social media platforms like Facebook and Google have unprecedented power over the information people consume and share. This has led to growing worries about big tech censorship and its potential threat to free speech in the US. Lets look into several key aspects of the issue including big tech's role in shaping online discussions, explore specific cases of alleged conservative censorship on social platforms, and consider the legal and ethical questions surrounding content moderation practices.   The Rise of Big Tech's Influence on Public Discourse The influence of big tech companies on public discourse has grown significantly in recent years. Social media platforms like Facebook and Google have become the principal sources for accessing current events and shaping opinions. These platforms use sophisticated algorithms to deliver vast amounts of data to users, creati