Friday, July 11, 1997
I Went, You See,
to See the Sea
by
TMF Weekly
While driving down the road yesterday in my Hyundai -- don't laugh; it actually is paid for -- I heard a radio commercial for a local business publication. The premise of the commercial was to distinguish between a walrus and a shark. What has this to do with business and investing? Not hard to make the connection, actually, and this commercial went on to do the comparison for me.
"A shark," it said, "moves effortlessly through rough waters. A shark seeks out its prey. A shark avoids the shoals, constantly on the move." In contrast "a walrus floats where the current takes it, waiting for food to come to it, eventually ending up on the rocks." Wow. Who wants to be a walrus, right? And, the best way to avoid becoming a walrus was to buy this publication and read it faithfully.
But then I started thinking -- Foolishly, I might add. Aren't there other animals in the sea besides sharks and walruses? What about schools of fish (say, mutual fund holders)? What about whales (say, Warren Buffett)? Then it hit me: plankton.
Well, plankton didn't actually hit me. First of all, they're too small; second, it would be pretty gross to be hit by a bunch of wet, yukky, microscopic slimy things. Instead, the idea of plankton hit me. Sure, no one goes to Sea World for the plankton show:
Hurry, hurry, hurry! The greatest water show on Earth, ladies and gentlemen. Step right up. Purchase your magnifying glasses at the door and prepare to be amazed. A word of warning: the splash zone is at least .005 inches from the edge of the tank, so watch yourselves!
But plankton, by an overwhelming margin, make up the majority of life of the Earth, with some biologists and oceanographers estimating that plankton account for 90% of the world's photosynthesis and 80% of its biomass. And there are hundreds of types of plankton (really a catch-all term) which serve as the beginning of most food chains. Granted, not a place of honor, but perhaps the most vital place of all.
So, using this anala-seas, I thought, "Could plankton be the individual investor?" Their role in the chain is essential. Individually, few make a noticeable impact, but collectively they can change the color of the tide. Sure, sharks and walruses eat plankton; but, sharks must swim continuously or they will drown, and walruses truly are at the whim of the tides. All in all, I think I'd rather be a plankton -- joining with my plankton brothers and sisters and starring in our own show, the greatest show on Earth!