https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-funds/personal-finance/dividend-stocks-dangerous-burn-investors-ways/ is a typical criticism of my stock-pick system.

If I find a blue-chip in recent decline causing its CDY to appear rising, I often see a giant (minimally) wounded but not dead. Once I buy it, it’s possible to experience further fall + dividend cuts. No surprise, no regret.

The author uses the SP500 price rise as a benchmark to judge dividend stocks. I have a slightly but fundamentally different need as a recreational investor. I need peace, I need the firewall around my stocks. I practice buy-n-forget. The low-dividend growth stocks (in SP500) are not good enough for my needs.

— short-sighted.. See 3episodes@ non-recreational trading.. about half my investments (excluding rEstate) were held long term so my trec qualifies myself as buy-n-hold investor.

If you look at a short window like 1Y, then dividend “return” is always dwarfed by price movements. Commentators often talk about DYOC “wiped out by a k% price drop” or “overshadowed by f% appreciation”. This is short-term perspective. I refuse to engage in such discussions.

Over the long term (only), dividend has a much bigger impact.

In a down turn, perhaps 60% of your stocks are underwater. The cumulative dividend payout would be an important compensation and cushion, as described in price buffer build-up: ineffective