The investment game, Inflation and the cost of goods.

[Slamz]

"Quality of life" probably isn't the right choice of words for this discussion anyway. I blame Maul. If we're talking about things you can invest in that have lasting, intrinsic value (and can therefore potentially be traded again for something else of value regardless of what happens to the world's economy) then "space" is still a top vote of mine. Similarly, "gold" isn't directly going to improve your quality of life, but I think a case can be made for saying it's a lasting investment with intrinsic value. People like shiny things and it has value in manufacturing.

Whereas investing in the stock market, while it can get you some potentially huge wins, is still an investment into something of dubious lasting value -- the stock is really only worth what other people are willing to pay for it. Unlike real estate and gold, it has no intrinsic value.

Even against what seems like a big secure company, you never know when some big scandal may hit, the company leadership was found to be cooking the books, etc, and suddenly it's the next Enron: