Quote from: twiifm on July 29, 2014, 02:24:01 AM

Quote from: DieJohnny on July 29, 2014, 02:17:08 AM

Quote from: twiifm on July 29, 2014, 01:20:42 AM

Quote from: DieJohnny on July 28, 2014, 08:48:34 PM

Quote from: SilenceDogreat on July 28, 2014, 05:08:18 AM

Quote from: twiifm on July 28, 2014, 04:51:41 AM

A stock is just an ownership in a company. The company doesn't even need to be public. You can incorporate and issue yourself a million shares if you want. Then sell some shares to investors who want to speculate that your company will do well in the future.

OP lacks basic knowledge. Instead of taking my advice to look up the meaning of 'stock' he prefers to be ignorant. Its not even that complex

We have to start with the assumption that he's comparing abstractions or there's really no debate.

...and I apologize if this seems like I'm splitting hairs. But "stock" generally refers to the equity shares a company offers to the public.
Investment in private companies is usually via VC firms, angel investors, and large institutions, or from friends & family I guess (depending on size).
Those investments wouldn't typically be called "stock" - and would actually be more like investing in bitcoin than owning stock in publicly traded companies is.

If a share of stock you own say NFLX, BIDU, TSLA pays no dividends, has no material voting rights, will receive no money if the company goes bankrupt, and then you insist on referring to wikipedia to "PROVE" what a stock means, well then you are missing my entire point. We all feel better about what is written in a wikipedia article, however, that doesn't mean your stocks mean anything.

In practice, a share or stock means nothing, you own a piece of fiction, a piece of a limited asset backed by NOTHING other than our collective delusion.

Bitcoins and stocks are digital measures of value where the market agrees every day on their worth.

Oh and if you own enough stocks, then maybe you have enough voting power to control the organization and make the changes you need to make your stocks worth more. Hmmm, Same can be said for Bitcoins.

Dude give it a break. You obviously don't know what a stock is. I had an LLC and I issued stock to the co-founders and investors. When the LLC was sold the stock owners had claim on the assets. Also during the life of the LLC, we bought out one of the co-founders. A stock is just equity in a company

Just because some stocks are used for speculation doesn't mean the definition of stock changes.

Bitcoin is more like a commodity. Like owning bushels of corn or barrels of oil. This is so basic any high school student should understand

Well since you owned an LLC, I think i will shut my dumb ass up. Thanks for setting my ass straight.

Oh, btw I haven't changed my position, you sorry ass LLC shares are not what I am talking about. I am talking about BIDU on NASDAQ, that is what I am taling about.

I know what you are talking about. Thats why I suggested you look up what a stock is.

You ever seen "The Social Network". How Zuckerberg diluted his stock to cut out his co founders?

Same company, same stock. Regardless if its public or private.

We can debate whether BIDU is worth its current price. But there's no debating the definition of stock.

Unless the definition and words that you so vehemently defend is complete BS for 90+% of investors. Keep clinging to your precious "definition" but rest assured the masses own nothing, have no power, and will only receive a return if the consensus of the rest of us buy into the vision that the asset's fundamentals and opportunities will continue to improve.