"To what end". Are you kidding me TML, withholding positive volume keeps the price from climbing, withholding negative volume keeps the price from falling. Don't be so naive, it goes on all day, every day, that's why they're called Market Makers.
"It's a product of our financial culture" Once again, are you kidding me, did you just make that up? It's called FRAUD! Selling a hundred 1 oz paper certificates traceable back to a single 1 oz. bar of gold, serial number xxx is pure and simple fraud, who really owns that bar, it can't be delivered. It is truly unbelievable that people believe all of the BS.