The Personality Cult

Below is a snippet taken from Alexander Elder's book "Trading for a living":-

Most people give lip service to their wish for freedom and independence. When they come under pressure, they change their tune and start looking for"strong leadership." Traders in distress often seek directions from assorted gurus.
When I was growing up in the former Soviet Union, children were taught that Stalin was our great leader. Later we found out what a monster he had been, but while he was alive, most people enjoyed following the leader. He freed them from the need to think for themselves.
"Little Stalins" were installed in every area of society-in economics, biology, architecture, and so on. When I came to the United States and began to trade, I was amazed to see how many traders were looking for a guru their"little Stalin" in the market. The fantasy that someone else can make you rich deserves its own discussion later in this chapter.

 Even though this book is about trading in financial markets, these words captured my attention. It summarizes how most people behave when facing challenges. How often we have fantasy which are beyond our mental and physical abilities yet we failed to acknowledge our own short comings and limitations. On the flip side of it, it was these fantasies that has fueled our desire to survive Taking them away, maybe, some people will find live no longer worth living.