And then there was the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission study that concluded "U.S. retail investors lack basic financial literacy ... have a weak grasp of elementary financial concepts and lack critical knowledge of ways to avoid investment fraud".

As a generality that statement may be worth thinking about. There are always exceptions to generalities. If you are not one of those exceptions, I urge you to work to become one. This is because I believe those who take the most responsibility in connection with their direct and indirectly held investments will be those 'best off' in our ever more complex economic and financial markets world.

Topical References: SEC Study Proves That Stock-Picking Should Probably Be Left to the Professionals, from New York News and Features, August 30, 2012 - reading time 2 minutes.