I don't give half a rat fart what people think. Just show them your 1040 and vacation photos, then watch their grin turn to desire. Works for me.
I quite simply go out of my way to avoid being in places or situations where I will meet the kind of people who don't know what their opinion is until they have had it given to them by the media.
When I'm asked about my own profession, I usually tell them I'm either a professional bull rider or a seasoned bear trapper. How's that for a change?
Judging by the amount of posts on this thread.. a lot of traders feel this way.... hmm.. interesting.
i haven't been to ET for a while. and i don't miss it much. i was bored this evening and read thru this thread. except for the post by Red Inc. and maybe a few others, this thread nicely encapsulates many of the reasons why I rarely visit ET these days. my reply to the OP: why are you concerned about the perceptions of others? if you are in the small group of profitable traders, you shouldn't have to worry about this it all. just tell them you manage your money, or tell them you're a daytrader...it shouldn't make any difference to you. if you are a breakeven trader, then i bet deep down (whether you admit it to yourself or not) you probably feel like you have something to prove because you have nothing to show for your efforts. if you are a losing trader....then i suspect you are also the type of person who feels that they have to be "right" in an argument....and the need to be "right" is not a good trait for a trader (the affliction of many ETers). most people have at least somewhat of that trait, but profitable traders are able to not let that part of their personality get too much of a hold on their trading.
That's why there's so much hi-freq stuff going on, right Grouchia? And why most of the old floor traders (futures) used to never hold overnight, right? Cause they were/are all so poor? Look at a trader like Bone -- he doesn't hold overnight. I personally mix day trades with position, swing, etc., to create diversification over timeframes. Anyway, on the original topic, why not tell people you're a trader but you suggest most people should avoid active trading and even investing on their own at all...
they are right you know traders are nuts and deal with other nuts all the time day in and day out ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=H53mjeEkDvM