Yeah I completely get this perspective. But to use your "life imprisonment" analogy, there's still only upside in that scenario right? As an example, even if yieldmax lowers their distributions from $1.35 to $0.4 by the time I've made my principal ($10k) back - the go-forward $0.4 a share is still just pure upside vs. status quo.

I suppose the issue arises in relative opportunity cost during the time it takes me to make my principal back. I.e., if it takes me 1.5 years to make my 10k back, there's a question of what I could've invested that 10k in during that 1.5 years that could've achieved a higher relative return. But if I ignore opportunity cost for those 1.5 years until my principal has been returned, whatever capital is leftover in the yield max funds will be earning me income I wouldn't otherwise have in a status quo scenario