I’ve always appreciated the simplicity of investing in mutual funds. The stock market is confusing and intimidating but leaving my savings in a checking account where it will depreciate would be unfortunate. Mutual funds are the perfect balance where I can invest a relatively small amount of savings in a wide range of stocks without needing to study the different companies continuously.
Then I started to observe the disconnect between my money and my the companies I whose stock I own. I just want to check my balance each quarter and see that it has grown. If my mutual fund is performing worse than a different mutual fund I might consider changing. At no point have I evaluated the ethics or integrity of these companies. I’ve never asked if the products they’re selling are helping society. I just want my savings to increase.
This system, my system, seems only to perpetuate the ”me now” attitude in our world. If I really knew suffering that was caused by my pressuring the system to churn out 4% instead of just 3%, would I still invest in this way? Is there a way to invest my savings more responsibly? Am I over exaggerating the idea that uninformed investing is causing suffering?
I’m not suggesting that investing is bad. I’m actually suggesting that we have the potential to influence our economic system if we invest with a different agenda. If we invest our savings in companies that are serving society and stop investing in companies that are hurting our society we can promote a better world. How do I do this without spending a lot of time researching my own companies? I don’t know.
This is a complicated topic and I know very little about the ins and outs of the stock market. In no way is this the opinion of a financial expert. This is just me talking out loud about some concerns regarding my personal investing. Maybe someone can provide some further insight on this subject. Time to meditate.