Hah, here's a more succinct way of saying it.
People - retirees, employees, single moms, self-employed workers, even the clerk at the Stop-n-Go who has a 401K, these make up most so-called "parasitic shareholders".
NO.
Those folks are NOT parasites - The only "Parasites" are the ones (The suits/execs/CEO's/CFO's/ UFO's?) that get to control the financial decisions that either makes or breaks things.
The common folk get screwed over just like the rest when it comes down to it. It's their money and the suits have no qualms about taking the money and running off with it, leaving all the rest holding an empty bag.
Usually when someone generalizes and demonizes such a large group as "parasitic shareholders", it means they are either 1 - young and dumb with no plans for the future, *or* 2 - they have lived an irresponsible life and wish to blame someone else for their screw-ups and irresponsible behavior, or 3 - very uneducated.
1: Young and dumb - Those folks can (Eventually) learn in most cases but whether they do or not is a different matter and up to them.
2: Imcompetent folks - That solely is on them and them alone.
3: Uneducated - Those guys in most cases are capable of learning as well.
Certainly there are some edge cases where they just had extreme "bad luck". But I'd bet that poster and most of the people who "liked" his post fall into category #2 and #3.
And I'm saying this as someone who's entire retirement/savings portfolio has literally only 0.7% stocks.
The leeches and parasites in the stock markets are a combination of the day traders and get-rich-quick schemers, along with the execs and directors who get primarily paid in the form of stocks instead of paying them straight up like everyone else (done to hide the real cost to the company of paying them exorbitantly). That hurts the stock holders, who are again mostly average joes.
So now with how you described a "Parasite" as being earlier, you're one youself!
Same as the pot calling the kettle black here.
And I'll admit I too had a 401K at one time but that's been cashed out now, did that when I was forced to retire over my health issues.
Just know (Probrably like yourself) I had to put MY OWN money I worked for and earned in it just to have what I did, meaning I was contributing, not "Just Taking" like a parasite would.
Contributing vs "Just Taking" - That's the real, true difference between a parasite and someone that's not, those that's not just trying to have something for later when they'd really need it.