Who cares how long you've been in the industry?

[PornoDoggy]

You know, talk of "who created this mess" is really kind of pointless. Not quite as silly as talking about "roots" in an industry under 20 years old - but close. Longevity/experience is important - however, in this industry there is a VERY big "but" attached to that.

I doubt very seriously that this industry is much different than any other in its infancy.

In the early days of almost any industry there is kind of a "wild west" period where a few figure out how to make some money - and then the crooks follow. The gloom, despair and agony you've heard people wailing about for the past year and a half - maybe longer - is just a reflection of the fact that the industry is maturing - the "wild west" days are ending.

So ... the big "but" that I attach to "[l]ongevity/experience is important" is that the changes that have and will come may render a good part of the experience accumulated to date irrelevant. How much of it will be rendered that way remains to be seen.

I make a point of reading this board specifically because of the % of folks who've been around the block a time or three. Doesn't mean I expect them to give me the 12 Steps to Financial Success; doesn't even mean I believe everything they say (or ANYTHING a few might post). I've learned just as much from some folks who haven't been around much longer than me - and I stay completely away from the advice of folks who never seem to accomplish much themselves but do talk a good line.