In the 1930s, some stocks traded with a negative price because investors had to pay a portion of the stock price upfront and the rest over several years. If investors believed the company would destroy capital and cash was scarce, they would have to pay someone to take the stock. The speaker tries to retain and make connections with information by writing it down and relating it to other knowledge. This approach improves retention and comprehension, and she sees it as an implicit argument for the benefits of memorization.