The 'Coin God' of the Virtual World: A Carnival of Psychological Victories
In the cryptocurrency circle, there is always a group of people who call themselves 'experts.' They are keen on analyzing candlestick charts and predicting market trends on social media, using screenshots of simulated trading to weave myths of sudden wealth, yet they never dare to publicly share their real trading records. This contradiction is reminiscent of the bespectacled man hiding in a room playing Monopoly — he acquires virtual real estate and defeats AI opponents in single-player mode, but lacks the courage to open a position in the real cryptocurrency market. The essence of both is a self-deluding psychological game.
I. The 'Safe House' of Virtual Trading: A Shelter from Reality
Simulated trading shares the same underlying logic as single-player games: painless trial and error.
Monopoly players can restart indefinitely, and cryptocurrency simulation accounts allow for arbitrary parameter modifications; losses are merely changes in numbers on a screen. This zero-cost 'victory' creates the illusion of market control, while stripping away the most vulnerable aspects of human nature in real trading — the struggle between fear and greed. When gains and losses of real money do not affect emotions, all decisions become mere talk. Just like the bespectacled man who easily acquires all of Wall Street in the game but dares not buy a single cheap stock in reality, this disconnection exposes the fragility of his psychological defenses.
II. The 'Emperor's New Clothes' of Data Decoration: A Carnival of Cognitive Dissonance
These 'experts' excel at packaging failures with intricate narratives.
They will capture snippets of profitable simulated trades while hiding records of consecutive losses; they pile on analysis reports with professional jargon while avoiding specific positions and timestamps. This selective presentation is reminiscent of the fictional 'business empire' in Monopoly — building false authority through information asymmetry, essentially overcompensating for self-perceived abilities. The **Dunning-Kruger Effect** in psychology is evident here: the less real trading experience one has, the more likely they are to overestimate their judgment. Just as the bespectacled man is obsessed with the virtual fame of game rankings, the 'theorists' in the crypto circle fall into collective hysteria amid likes and adoration.
III. The 'Truman Show' of Closed-Loop Logic: The Trap of Group Hypnosis
The closed information cocoon exacerbates this pathological cycle.
In cryptocurrency trading communities, the 'experts' cite each other's simulated trading achievements, using complex technical indicators to validate one another, forming a self-consistent yet detached logical system. This echo effect of the small circle is akin to the programmed praise of NPCs in Monopoly — both construct a utopia free from external skepticism. When the bespectacled man receives the worship of virtual characters in the game, the 'theorists' in the crypto circle also reconstruct their self-worth amidst the adoration of their fans, ultimately equating imagined abilities with the rules of the real world.
Conclusion: The Courage to Step Out of the Game Capsule
True traders never need the badges of simulated trading.
Soros publicly challenged the Bank of England when he shorted the pound, while Buffett discloses the logic behind every investment in his annual letters to shareholders. The cruelty of the market lies in the fact that it only believes in survivors with real stakes, rather than 'invincible generals' from the virtual world. For the 'experts' addicted to psychological victories, closing the Monopoly game and canceling their simulated accounts might be the first step toward healing — after all, the most dangerous patients in psychiatric hospitals are often those who firmly believe they are the most clear-minded.
