We “celebrated” Halloween up here in the mountains last week.
I put celebrated in quotes because I mostly despise the holiday. I believe the day may have real significance in other cultures… but not here. It’s a day where people buy a bunch of cheap candy from Sam’s Club to hand out to the kids who trick-or-treat their neighborhood. As though the kids need more processed sugar and artificial ingredients in their life.
The only thing that prevents me from being a complete Scrooge on the matter is how excited the kids get. They plan out their costumes months in advance. And then they can’t wait to see their friends and compare.
Here’s a shot of some of the kids together in our neck of the woods:
This is the only part of Halloween that I like. The kids playing together in their costumes.
Sometimes I wonder why we keep things like this going from generation to generation. I suppose it’s just an old tradition that also takes parents and grandparents back to their own childhood.
The reality is that inertia is a powerful thing.
An object in motion will stay in motion until an outside force acts upon in it. The same is true for holidays like Halloween… which is why we invested in Hershey (HSY) inside of our model equity portfolio.
It’s not often that outside forces act upon cultural traditions. But in the world of money and finance – it’s a routine occurrence.
As we discussed at length last month, America’s economy is undergoing a dramatic reorganization right now.
Simply put, the days of cheap money and low interest rates are over. They aren’t coming back. Because they can’t. An outside force has already overcome the inertia and changed the previous course.
The primary trends have shifted – as they always do. Change is the only constant in this life… and in the economy.
That’s what makes the US presidential election tomorrow so interesting. And I say that as someone who hasn’t considered any election to be relevant for the past forty years.
This one “feels” different. It appears to pit the machine – which wants to perpetuate the establishment – against factions in favor of America’s burgeoning reorganization.
How will it play out? Will a winner be announced by Wednesday morning… or at least by January 20th, 2025? If so, will people accept it?
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Just ‘reply’ to this email and let me know.
The answer to these questions will have a dramatic impact on the markets, the economic climate, and our investments.
At the same time, we shouldn’t let these things impact our own health and mindset. More on that tomorrow…
-Joe Withrow