Sure, everyone thinks low cost index funds are great because the market has more than doubled in 4 1/2 years. I remember far less enthusiasm for them back in March 2009. The "CTA funds are crap" meme is now so saturated, with half of all investor monies from the peak now having exited, that big gains must surely be just around the corner.
this is just more of the same old crap. Investment banks hyping their wares, robbing their clients, and outsiders looking back to see what would have worked instead. Over the long haul markets keep you even with inflation and provide some additional gain if profits in constant dollars grow. If you add dividends compounded you gain a little over inflation. That's over the long haul, the risk you take for that small gain is proportional. If you want to do better you have to understand markets, look forward, and take on more risk. We all know the favorite trick of any investment sales strategy is to pick a time period that supports their pitch. That will never change, because it works, and it's legal.