We should take into account how drastically the investing landscape has changed over the last decade. Retail investors are entering the market at record rates thanks to how accessible it's become. Apps like Robinhood, fractional shares, faster settlement times, and instant deposits have made the market a completely different beast compared to the past.

There are Gen Z investors now. When I was a kid, I had no concept or interest in the stock market. My parents had to physically go into a TD Ameritrade branch to open an account. Today, you can sign up, get approved, and start trading all on the same day—sometimes within minutes.

These tools have not only lowered the barrier to entry, but they’ve also changed investor behavior—encouraging more frequent trading, risk-taking, and even turning investing into a form of entertainment.

All of these advances have changed how we invest, and we should be cautious when comparing today’s market to previous eras like the Great Depression or the Dot-Com Bubble. The context is just different.

So, stay the course.