Howdy erg61,
You said "The more experienced traders understand what’s going on and so if they stay I stay".
EXCELLENT Thinking.
When I started investing decades ago, I knew NOTHING about stocks and didn't understand ANY NEW technology.
What I did was this: I ordered quarterly and annual reports from all of the best preforming small cap mutual funds.
And then I compared them … and then when I found the same small stock was owned by 6 or 8 or 10 of the best preforming funds, I would buy that stock.
I didn't give a you know what about the company or what they did, I just mimicked what the "best, smartest" pro's were doing.
Worked out just fine, and then I started to research and study and learn for myself.
That early time frame is also when I heard a very valuable phrase that has paid off very well over time:
"You make most of your money in a bear market, you just don't realize it that time".
To put it another way, you can't buy low and sell high … if you don't buy low when the opportunity exists.
When everybody is scared and running for the hills, you have got to (if you are able to) do the opposite and buy.
Good Luck to all of us - I hope we are all right.