[orojackson]

I figured HFT firms exist in their own bubble away from most people. So from the perspective of the average joe, they only indirectly exist as a tiny market force that does price discovery.

As for the funds you mentioned, are there any that have a minimum investment of less than $1,000?

[1e-9]

The impact of HFT firms is significant, although not obvious to the average person.

Investing directly in a hedge fund requires a much higher initial investment as well as a high net worth. I would not recommend it. It is very difficult to select a portfolio of hedge funds that can outperform a simple low-cost index fund tracking the S&P 500.