When Dean Lundell transcribed Sun Tzu's teachings through is book called The Art of War for Traders and Investors, I did not at first enjoy the book. This was at the beginning of my trading journey, and I was under the impression that trading is a team sport. Regardless if it was for profit, or just to make a trader feel good about himself, many traders everywhere were helping other traders learn the business. It was not until my 3rd reading of his book, that it dawned upon me that Sun Tzu's principles started to make sense. Everything in his treatise explains how to WIN against an opponent. I traded in cognitive dissonance unaware that those who trade the same instrument as I do, at any given time of the day may be trading against me. Therefore by default, that makes them my opponent, and not my friend. How could I have been so slow to understand in a zero sum game only 1 can win. Sun Tzu helped me to question my values for trading. His book was a slap in the face, that if I continued to show other traders how to take my money, I would not be able to pay my mortgage. I've no idea why it took me so long to understand that the top 1% to 5% consistently profitable traders are not showing other traders how to take their money, which is absolutely absurd. Questions I asked my reflection in the mirror.. What's the most important value in trading? A. Helping other traders take my money. B. Helping myself learn to take their money. And yet, sometimes I still give in to the temptation to help other traders who are trading the same instrument. I think I need to read the book again.
The reality is in your everyday dealing with people, remember they have their own self interest at every turn. If someone is trying to sell you a house, the real estate broker will not earn her commissions if you do not buy the house she is selling. The same goes for ET trolls, they have to spread disinformation to do what they hope is an opportunity for them to exploit you, just like the CNBC hacks on cable TV. Someone said, nobody has an interest in protecting your monies more than you. You will be best served to remember that. Everything else, is noise, fluff, distractions to make you part with your hard earned monies.
I've had a couple of people express interest in seeing what I do, and I would have no problem showing them the ropes. Even if it means having them trade along with me in their own account while sitting in the same room. And I wouldn't charge them a dime. But I would never show my trades on youtube, or even share details here on ET. To me, trading is simply a complex competitive video game which has given me the freedom to make a living doing something I love while being my own boss. It still perplexes me why a successful trader would post videos on youtube and sell a course. Well, it's obvious to me that they don't. Anyone (or at least most people) selling trading info is not successful at it. Period. If you go back to the old P/L threads from the early 2000's, NONE OF US shared strategy details. It can be a team sport when you're in an office with other traders, but it's still a competitive atmosphere.
The turtles under Richard Dennis was just that. Richard Dennis gave them accounts to trade but, they had to follow his rules. Otherwise, they were booted out of the program since, he was risking his own monies for the turtle traders. I read that Richard Dennis earned $400 million the time he ran the turtle trader program of his. There was a 2nd group of turtle traders too. Majority of the turtles had successful careers in trading after.
It could be a Team Sport. Manipulators need tons and tons of $$$$. Manipulators, as a team, come together and push the market up. Then the whole team earns tons and tons of $$$$$.
Nick Nelson (in Singapore) tried to manipulate Nikkei futures. He had a very deep pocket. But not deep enough as there were many Japanese big boys with very deep pockets too. So it is easier to manipulate the penny stocks. And we traders just take advantage of it.
IMO trading is not a team endeavor, but I have no fear of others doing what I do if I show too much - with the exception of my "numbers".