I've seen and heard this all before... remember 5000+ nasdaq? 5 years later, and where is it today?
Speculation always collapses.. just a matter of when, not if.
Gold a physical commodity. It fluctuates in price. Stocks fluctuate in price. Prices rise and fall in cycles. If you recognize how it works you can invest and realize a profit. Some people are risk adverse. You should look at Money Markets and CDs.