I agree that when a stock pays dividends it's not a ponzi scheme because you are getting a cut from the companies profits. But for"non-dividend" in the so called "growth stocks" the money comes from other people. Yes there might be a product that company is making but ultimately the "growth stock" is growing because someone other than the company is willing to give you money for it because they expect someone else to come along and pay them more ie ponzi.

I have had this conversation with a lot of "financial people" who always seem to get annoyed and state..."but the stock is growing because the company is doing well." I would buy that idea only if the price of a stock was directly tied to its companies profits. Yes for the most part this happens but enough times in history (Enron?) this has not been the case.

This "money being handed down... In the hopes of ever increasing 'value'" is the same thing that happens with every cryptocurrency (bitcoin, litecoin, ethereum etc.) before steem. I think people musunderstood my point...I am in no way talking about steemit. Here the investors money is used to turn writers/curators/users into investors themselves. It's an amazing take on the entire situation. But one that without new "real money" (read fiat) will continue to lose value.

I guess my point was just create a dialog around ponzi vs "growth non-dividend stocks"/bitcoin vs steemit

In no way did I mean to offend anyone.

Full disclosure I own "positions" on bitcoin, ethereum, lisk, dash and a few others...So I have definitely bought into the scheme!