Bullshift: How Optimism Bias Threatens Your Finances

People are taking risks with their investments by entrusting them to biased advisers who are unaware of their bias. John J. De Goey's book "Bullshift" explores the hidden relationship between bias and financial markets, showing that advisers are immersed in a culture of Bullshift and that their positive outlook on markets is based on industry-wide groupthink. This problem affects more than just individual investment portfolios and can lead to a global economic cliff. De Goey helps readers understand the challenges of industry bias and encourages a shift to unbiased realism for true optimism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 16 March 2023
Publisher: Dundurn Group Ltd

People are unknowingly putting their investments at risk by placing their trust in advisors who hold biased beliefs but are unaware of them. Does your financial advisor consistently urge you to hold onto your investments and never sell, even during market downturn
downturns? They may also assure you that markets will eventually recover and maintain a positive outlook, regardless of external circumstances. Your advisor may frequently express a sense of optimism and convince you not to worry, even when faced with challenging situations outside the financial world.

In his book "Bullshift," John J. De Goey delves into the concealed connection between bias and financial markets. He demonstrates that investors and financial advisers are not the rational decision-makers that economic theory presumes them to be, and that the "tried and true" investment advice often lacks soundness. De Goey reveals that advisers are immersed in a culture of Bullshift, where they are unaware of how their positive outlook on markets is influenced by industry-wide groupthink.

This issue extends beyond individual investment portfolios. After three years of an international pandemic, the full economic consequences of the response are yet to be fully realized. However, the financial industry's unwavering optimism, fueled by government policies aimed at promoting growth and avoiding difficult choices, is leading us toward a catastrophic economic cliff.

De Goey assists readers in understanding the nuanced challenges of industry bias, with optimism bias being a particularly concerning aspect. The next downturn may be more severe than anything experienced by you or your advisor. True optimism arises from a shift towards unbiased realism.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781459750906