> back in the dot com boom this thing would have been held by mom and pop.
Who also should have known better. If someone doesn't understand how a company they invest in makes a profit, or what the risks to that company are, they have no business investing in it. For example, I hold agency-MBS REITs in my portfolio, but only because I'm willing to read the quarterly filings and keep an eye on news relevant to interest rates. They are absolutely not an investment I would recommend to most people who want something simple they can "set and forget."