Gaming

I think it highlights how perverse the stock market itself is. It doesn't really seem like it functions much as a way for riskier ventures to raise capital outside of a bank, but a giant casino that gives the illusion of not being a zero sum game.

It's hypothetically possible for a company to make more money in the stock market by investing in themselves than by creating anything (see Tesla). And if all companies could behave this way and somehow knew what the stock market would do for 5 years, I'd wager a TON of companies wouldn't meet it, invest in the stock market, drive up the "value," more don't meet it, etc. etc. until no one is making anything, and everyone is happy with their paper fortunes and try to sell.