Back in the day, traders would ride the natural high from outperforming their counterparties—the adrenaline rush from winning on the market was its own reward. That raw competitive edge and the psychological payoff made trading feel genuinely thrilling. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Now you'd practically need to incentivize someone with massive rewards—think 1000 bonus points or equivalent—just to get them excited about the same trade. The market's become so commodified and gamified that what used to be a pure competition for edge has turned into a points-chasing exercise. Says a lot about how trading psychology and market incentives have warped over time.