“Why did the economist stop selling herbs?”/“Because you can’t thyme the market.”

Many people try to “time the (stock) market” by buying low and selling high. This has nothing to do with herbs, but “thyme the market” is a joke.
   
“Why did the economist stop selling herbs? Because you can’t thyme the market” was posted on Twitter by Zach Weinersmith on December 13, 2019. “this is why chefs make such terrible investors, they’re always trying to thyme the market” was posted on Twitter by Ben Eisen on February 27, 2020.
   
           
Wikipedia: Market timing
Market timing is the strategy of making buying or selling decisions of financial assets (often stocks) by attempting to predict future market price movements. The prediction may be based on an outlook of market or economic conditions resulting from technical or fundamental analysis. This is an investment strategy based on the outlook for an aggregate market rather than for a particular financial asset.
 
Reddit—PFJerk
Posted by u/zonination March 10, 2014
I am a 13th century Venetian merchant who often travels east to buy spices. Should I try to thyme the market?
Also, Should I start accepting credit cards? If I do start accepting, how will this affect my score?
 
Twitter
Zach Weinersmith
@ZachWeiner
Why did the economist stop selling herbs?
Because you can’t thyme the market.
11:07 AM · Dec 13, 2019·Twitter Web App
   
Twitter
Ben Eisen
@benkerteisen
Replying to @maxfawcett
this is why chefs make such terrible investors, they’re always trying to thyme the market.
I’ll show myself out.
4:48 PM · Feb 27, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Reddit—3amjokes
Posted by u/thomasbrakeline February 15, 2022
Despite others telling me different, I have used an herb then bought stock…
Everyone says I shouldn’t try to thyme the market.