Not a fair comparison. Programming isn't a pure competition. If you do better in programming, this does not imply that every other programmer in the world must be doing worse. In the market, the more money you make, the less everyone else can make. Of course, it's possible for all the traders to make money as long as the total market continues to grow... that's a pyramid scheme in my book....
I'm not agreeing with the parent post, because I think probability dictates that some trader will beat the market consistently (for a while). But that doesn't necessarily demonstrate "skill".
> In the market, the more money you make, the less everyone else can make.
That's just not true. When you're trading with somebody, that's because you're offering a marginally better deal than somebody else was offering. Trading activity ends up affecting decisions on what to produce.
You forget how much money goes back into the market through dividends and buybacks. Its a very significant number.
Right now the dividend yield of the S&P 500 is 1.90% (nearly a historic low) so it seems insignificant, but in past years the dividend yield has been nearly as much as the price increase of the overall market...
I'm not agreeing with the parent post, because I think probability dictates that some trader will beat the market consistently (for a while). But that doesn't necessarily demonstrate "skill".