Me: The board works best when focused on #1 and #2. Drifting too far toward encouraging, advocating, or defending a particular #3 is when we seem to go astray. It’s not only a very fine line, but one that’s super easy to cross even if unintentional. When that’s happened in the past, it’s created battleground stocks like TSLA or FSLY. I’d say I fear UPST is headed in that direction but there’s a good chance we’re already there. I honestly don’t care what anyone does with UPST, and no one should care what I do with it either. This is a place for sharing ideas, not telling people what to do.
ibuildthings: I respectfully disagree with the notion that we (I) would not want to know if others buy/own/sell a company. If we were to cease posts of final decisions, we would get the faculty lounge effect. Lots of intellectual discussion without conclusions.
Maybe I didn’t make my point clearly enough. I agree concluding one’s thoughts with the ultimate decision is worthwhile. For example, I freely posted my UPST decision since I was asked (top of watch list but not enough to bump CRWD). However, once that’s done there is no reason for anyone to spin off into dissecting the decision itself. I’m not responsible for anyone else investment decisions, and no one else is responsible for mine.
This is a forum for discussing individual companies and their potential as investments. It’s not for arguing or passing judgement on what anyone does with that information once it’s presented. Particularly with UPST, too many recent comments are focused less on the company and more on whether the poster falls into the buy/sell/hold camp. Not all, but definitely too many. When that happens, Saul’s Investment Discussions turns into Saul’s Battleground Stock Arguments. That decreases the quality-to-noise ratio, and as I observed here (https://discussion.fool.com/ot-why-saul39s-works-35029379.aspx) I believe this has caused some semi-regular but valuable contributors to stop posting in recent months.
The incredible crowdsourcing benefits of this board get lost in the shuffle when discussions become too many individuals taking potshots at each other. As someone who has been fortunate enough to read and learn here for a long time, I am of the strong opinion far too many recent posts are crossing that line. Remember, everyone, that’s what Twitter’s for and not the Motley Fool.