Whatever people say, I do think there is a good side to…
“Whatever people say, I do think there is a good side to Wall Street. It was created almost as a civic service to fund our wars. It wasnt created for this greedy, self-indulgent Get rich mentality. It wasnt always that way and its not always that way now. Its not all of them who are corrupt and the guys that Ive met arent that way. They do a lot of good things and raise a lot of money for charity. Theyll raise $70 million in a night. Its easy to just point fingers at the rich guys, but there are a lot of quality people who arent motivated solely by greed. I think what you end up with often on Wall Street is the guys who couldnt make it onto the sports team at school; a lot of them wanted to be competitive athletes and found themselves in finance, which is just as competitive a field. Its a kill or be killed mentality. Its very competitive worse than Hollywood. I still trade every morning. I come from poverty and its like night and day. My mother laughs about it: she went on welfare, we had no money and now Im trading $300,000 in the morning. Its outrageous.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Wall Street can serve public good despite prevalent greed, offering charitable funding and opportunities for competitive individuals.
In simple terms: Wall Street has both good and bad aspects, helping charity and offering careers.
Key Takeaway
Recognize both the positive and negative sides of finance.
Themes
finance
charity
competition
social mobility
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
observational
When to use this quote
- charitable fundraising
- career choice
- social perception
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
civic service
greed
meritocracy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does competition shape ethical behavior?
- Can finance balance profit and public good?
A Different Perspective
Not all finance professionals are corrupt; systemic issues persist.