Professor Elam

Weekend Octover 26, 2014

My high school and college years occurred during the 1960s and early 1970s. An Eighteen Year Bull market spanned literally my first eighteen years of existence from 1948-1966. Little did I realize the next 18 would produce opposite results, from 1966-1982-84. 

My primary research interest involves how social mood creates changes in society. This occurs across the spectrum from the stock market to musical and fashion tastes to whether humans go to war or make peace. Bill Clinton was lucky to preside over  the ending years of the last bull period from 1982-2000 . While he readily takes credit for what happened in the positive sense, all politicians do, the truth is that he was the beneficiary of a period of positive mood. Clearly Bush and Obama have not had the same experience as they are now in a time of negative mood and economic stagnation. 

THis theory of social mood is termed socionomics. Its found is Bob Prechter. He wrote a most interesting article depicting the rise and fall of the Beatles along with the social mood of the time. Social mood is always on display in that crucible of millions of votes every day in the stock market. 

Read this to see how the group peaked with the Dow in 1966 and broke up as the markets turned down in 1970. 

There is simply no comparable group today to demonstrate the popularity of the Beatles or how the British invasions up pended established American groups like the Beach Boys. Yes there are groups and singers that tour and draw thousands but the Beatles were an event, not just a singing group.