Absurd Quote by George Soros
![“Giving government aid to a bank basically transforms it into a utility. The huge salaries in this sector are only a symptom of a more profound misalignment. The profitability of the finance industry has been excessive. [...] That was absurd.” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/759/george-soros-1593_absurd_giving-government-aid-to-a-bank-basicall_2986926.jpg)
“Giving government aid to a bank basically transforms it into a utility. The huge salaries in this sector are only a symptom of a more profound misalignment. The profitability of the finance industry has been excessive. [...] That was absurd.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Financial Crisis Commentary, 2008
Government bailouts turn banks into public utilities, exposing profit‑driven excess and misaligned incentives.
In simple terms: Aid makes banks like utilities, revealing profit problems.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address profit misalignment.
Themes
finance
government policy
ethics
market structure
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
policy
economic commentary
When to use this quote
- policy design
- banking reform
- public accountability
- economic analysis
Key Concepts
public utility model
profit incentives
regulatory capture
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we align bank incentives with public interest?
- What safeguards prevent utility‑like behavior?
A Different Perspective
Bailouts may create moral hazard and reduce market discipline.
![“I believe strongly that we need a finance industry that is good for the economy, and I don't think anybody would argue that during the eight years leading up to the Great Recession, a lot of bets were made [and] risks taken that weren't good for the economy.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/68f/hillary-clinton-51_arguing_i-believe-strongly-that-we-need-a-financ_2598939.jpg)
![“I very often used to get backaches due to the fact that I was wrong. Whenever you are wrong you have to fight or [take] flight. When [I] make the decision, the backache goes away.” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1e/george-soros-1593_backache_i-very-often-used-to-get-backaches-due-t_38205.jpg)
![“We [at Soros Fund Management] use options and more exotic derivatives sparingly. We try to catch new trends early and in later stages we try to catch trend reversals. Therefore, we tend to stabilize rather than destabilize the market. We are not doing this as a public service. It is our style of…” quote by George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f33/george-soros-1593_customer_we-at-soros-fund-management-use-options_113322.jpg)
