All of my comments on the economy and the big picture have to do with my beliefs. Thus, statements such as 1) the U.S. is bankrupt; 2) Gold could climb as high as the Dow Jones Industrials; 3) the dollar could be 35% overvalued right now; 4) a recession is right around the corner, etc. are all MY BELIEFS.

If you don't believe them, then they should have no impact on you except to say, "Van is really out there!" If you do believe them, then then impact they have upon you will depend upon the "meaning you give them" and "the amount of charge (emotional energy) you have on each of them. For example, these beliefs with a lot of charge might be interpreted to mean, "The world as I know it is coming to an end and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm doomed." And then you feel depressed.

However, that's not the way I take it. I look at those beliefs as indicating what could happen and I'm constantly looking for information to prove me wrong (or that the scenario is starting to play out). I also believe that every crisis has within it lots of opportunity...so I'm looking for opportunities to profit. And I also know that some of it is real (i.e., the US has a debt and future obligations of $67 trillion) while other things are just what might happen in the future as a result of that debt. For example, I believe we're in a secular bear market that will last another 10 years, but if valuations (PE ratios) start to move up, then I'll know that I could be worng.

So everything I say is my belief. It's not reality. It's just a filter to reality. And it's meaning for me is the meaning I give it. And the same also holds for you.