IDK about long term being a sure loss.
I've been in since 1999 and my holdings currently show a 6% all time gain.
However, what that doesn't show is all the dividends I've received, all the stock I've sold for a profit (or loss), and all the stock that I've received via spin-offs, oh and the time I took out $22,000 to buy a shop, and $5,000 to refinance my house.