Ben Carlson on Why the Stock Market Is the Best Casino in the World

Ben Carlson on Why the Stock Market Is the Best Casino in the World

From Motley Fool Money by The Motley Fool

April 18, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

In this episode, Robert Brokamp interviews Ben Carlson about the stock market's potential for long-term wealth and lessons from historical downturns.

We at The Motley Fool believe that investing in the stock market is the best path to long-term wealth. But it isn’t always easy to stick with stocks. In this first of a two-part conversation, Motley Fool Senior Advisor Robert Brokamp speaks with Ben Carlson about what we can learn from the Great Depression and Japan, how even the worst periods for investors eventually turn out fine over the long term, and how diversification can help.Ben is the Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management, the writer behind the “A Wealth of Common Sense” blog, the co-host of the Animal Spirits podcast, and the author of “Risk and Reward: How to Handle Market Volatility and Build Long-Term Wealth,” which will be available on May 12. Tune in on April 19 for Part 2 of this conversation.Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: Ben Carlson, CFAEngineers: Lauren Budabin, Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer…

People in this episode

Host: Robert Brokamp

Guest: Ben Carlson

Topics covered

  • stock market
  • investing
  • diversification
  • long-term wealth
  • historical lessons

Keywords

  • stock market
  • investing
  • Great Depression
  • Japan
  • diversification
  • market volatility
  • long-term wealth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ritholtz Wealth Management, The Motley Fool, Animal Spirits

Books & works: Risk and Reward: How to Handle Market Volatility and Build Long-Term Wealth

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