As the Dow Jones marches towards 50,000, it's time to stop pretending that you and your 401(k) are not complicit...

[PeaceWave]

The bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran.

Threats of invasion directed against a NATO ally.

A naval, air and ground attack against Venezuela and capture of its leader.

The dismantling of a healthcare system providing coverage for over 24 million Americans.

An out of control Department of Homeland "Security" roughing up, shooting at, kidnapping and killing its own citizens.

All of THAT and THIS is the result...A nearly 12% rise in the stock market over the first 12 months of an authoritarian regime. Expressing outrage while reaping the rewards is the height of hypocrisy.

[Coventina]

1. WTAF do you expect us to do?

I didn't choose to be in a 401k.
This is what my employers forced me in to, when pensions went away.

If I roll it over into an IRA, it's still in the stock market.

What do I do? Withdraw it, with the massive tax penalty, and stuff it in my mattress?

Please, advise me what I should be doing, and I'll do it, if it doesn't leave me high and dry financially.

[LexVegas]

10. You shoud retire in poverty and continue to work until death. nt

[Coventina]

12. Well, that's probably going to happen anyway.

I mean, I'm not exactly a high-roller in the stock market.

My retirement was always going to be very modest.

[tinrobot]

22. All you can do is be prudent with where you put your 401k money

Don't buy Tesla, Palantir, Exxon, and many others that are doing real damage.

Instead, find funds or companies that are less destructive.

My accounts allow me to buy bonds, foreign stocks/funds, and even just do a regular savings account. Plenty of options, but you do have to educate yourself and have some due diligence.

[Disaffected]

2. Logical falacy.

Correlation is not the same as causation.

I doubt any of the events you cited have much to do with a rising stock market - more the opposite.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Ridiculous

Worst post on DU this week.

[lostincalifornia]

4. Nonesense. The only one's complicit in this disaster are those who refused to vote for VP Harris in 2024, and those who

Last edited Thu Jan 22, 2026, 06:30 PM - Edit history (1)

refused to vote for Hillary in 2016.

In both cases there was NO AMBIGUITY what trump was going to do, and those who voted for trump, or refused to vote for Harris or Clinton are absolutely responsible for this disaster.

[Jack Valentino]

23. and probably nobody in those two categories is reading your comment or this board,

other than the intermittent right-wing trolls who are swiftly banned...

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Stocks are being inflated just like precious metals

The devalued currency is repricing financial assets. So 12% is quite optimistic. Subtract inflation - realistic inflation, not the 2.7% officially reported.

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. Careful with your sanctimony.

Most, like 65%, of those gains are due to the AI bubble, Not from Trump’s warfare.

[FHRRK]

16. this

Eliminate the magnificent seven and the gains are much less.

[AZJonnie]

7. Well, if I haven't put any money INTO my 401k since COVID I fail to see how I'm in any way "complicit"

I mean, my house has also gone up a bit in value (though not 12%) does that also make me complicit?

And even if I had put more money in the 401K, I would deny such an association, as I'd have not being doing so in order to further shitbird's agenda, plus I put my money in socially-conscious tranches (or whatever you call them), not in Big Oil or the MIC!

I say "booooo" to this particular take.

[SSJVegeta]

8. If you are talking about the general participation in an economy for a country comkitting these terrible acts, I agree

A general strike or as much of a complete withdrawal from the economy, is likely a reasonable approach.

But a 401k is so diverse that the companies directly responsible for this may only be a tiny percentage of whatever we own -if at all. Wouldnt make much difference if we all withdrew from these companies overnight, assuming we even have the guilty investments to begin with.

[leftstreet]

9. Stop blaming working class people n/t

[Torchlight]

11. What practical alternatives are you proposing?

[berniesandersmittens]

13. Look at where and how your money is invested nt

[yellowcanine]

14. Ahh bull hockey. Correlation without causation.

What I set up 30 plus years ago in order to have a pension is not relevant to the actions of the orange one. Stop blaming anyone who has a bit of success for the ills of society.

[SocialDemocrat61]

15. I don't have a 401K

So am I off the hook?

[FascismIsDeath]

17. Having a retirement plan doesn't make me complicit in anything.

Thats absurd.

[Bettie]

18. Our 401ks are just a thing

that absorbs losses so the extremely wealthy can always profit.

The big swings of the market...well, our 401ks always lose when it's down, but they never get more than a few crumbs of the cake when it goes up.

We're the suckers and if you want to save for retirement, it's really the only way.

Defined Benefit....Pensions are long gone. Companies figured out that they can screw us* over AND have the money to give huge bonuses to people who don't actually do the work. That's what they call a win/win.

*US: the working class, the suckers who do the day to day work.

[Greg_In_SF]

19. This is quite possibly

the funniest thread I have read all week.

[EarthFirst]

20. Which carrier pigeon did you send to your proxy to issue this statement on you behalf?

If we’re going down this rabbit hole; the technology that was available to you to make this sanctimonious post was complicit in one way or another as well…

[QueerDuck]

21. 🙄🤪🤡

[fujiyamasan]

24. Do you pay taxes?

Guess where ICE gets that money?

Looks like we’re all complicit aren’t we?