--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One day I visited a guy who had made a…" description: "\"One day I visited a guy who had made a fortune as a broker. He was sitting in his office with his computer. I hire people from here and make deals from..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/studs-terkel-3020_brokers_one-day-i-visited-a-guy-who-had-made-a-f_1463327.jpg" --- # One day I visited a guy who had made a fortune as a… ![“One day I visited a guy who had made a fortune as a broker. He was sitting in his office with his computer. I hire people from here and make deals from this room, he told me. Then he took me to the trading room. Nobody was talking to anybody else, the place was silent as a tomb, they were all…” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/studs-terkel-3020_brokers_one-day-i-visited-a-guy-who-had-made-a-f_1463327.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/studs-terkel-3020_brokers_one-day-i-visited-a-guy-who-had-made-a-f_1463327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/studs-terkel-3020_brokers_one-day-i-visited-a-guy-who-had-made-a-f_1463327.jpg) > “One day I visited a guy who had made a fortune as a broker. He was sitting in his office with his computer. I hire people from here and make deals from this room, he told me. Then he took me to the trading room. Nobody was talking to anybody else, the place was silent as a tomb, they were all sitting there watching their terminals - a great word, terminal. I tell you, it scares the crap out of me.” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a silent, intense trading floor where workers stare at screens, highlighting the isolating nature of modern finance. **In simple terms:** Trading floors are quiet, focused, and solitary. Key Takeaway Recognize the human cost of high‑pressure jobs. Themes isolation technology finance stress culture workplace Mood tense contemplative Type observational critical When to use this quote - stock market openings - high‑frequency trading - office design Key Concepts trading dynamics digital surveillance psychology of markets human factors Questions to Reflect On - How does silence affect decision‑making? - What supports can reduce trader isolation? A Different Perspective The quiet can mask intense mental strain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broker Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broker-sitting-5291901/) [Brokers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brokers/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Crap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crap/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Fortune Broker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-broker-5291905/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Scare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scare/) [Silent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Terminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terminal/) [Tombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tombs/) [Took Trading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-trading-5291904/) [Trading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trading/) [Trading Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trading-room-5291902/) [Watching Terminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching-terminals-5291903/) ## Related quotes > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Now I'm in real trouble. First my laundry called and said they lost my shirt and then my broker said the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-fechtner/now-i-m-in-real-trouble-first-my-laundry-called-and-said-they-lost-my/) [Leopold Fechtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-fechtner/) > [Intelligence, goodness, humanity, excitement, serenity. Over time, these are the things that change the musculature of your face, as do laughter, and animation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/intelligence-goodness-humanity-excitement-serenity-over-time-these/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Diversification is something that stock brokers came up with to protect themselves, so they wouldn't get sued for making bad investment choices for clients.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rogers/diversification-is-something-that-stock-brokers-came-up-with-to/) [Jim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rogers/) > [We never will have any prosperity that is free from speculation till we pass a law that every time a broker or person sells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-never-will-have-any-prosperity-that-is-free-from-speculation-till/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [A broker is a man who runs your fortune into a shoestring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-woollcott/a-broker-is-a-man-who-runs-your-fortune-into-a-shoestring/) [Alexander Woollcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-woollcott/) > [Japan should get more involved in mediating disputes between countries and seek to play the role of a peace broker. To make this possible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadako-ogata/japan-should-get-more-involved-in-mediating-disputes-between/) [Sadako Ogata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadako-ogata/) > [Stuyvesant chats with Kelly and Katz, The professor warms to the broker, And life is good in the brotherhood Of an air-conditioned smoker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/stuyvesant-chats-with-kelly-and-katz-the-professor-warms-to-the/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [We've always had a dual role in the region - friend of Israel, and honest broker. We've given up the honest broker role completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/we-ve-always-had-a-dual-role-in-the-region-friend-of-israel-and/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [If your broker or investment advisor is not familiar with the concept of standard deviation of returns, get a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-bernstein/if-your-broker-or-investment-advisor-is-not-familiar-with-the-concept/) [William J. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-bernstein/) > [It is curious that Christianity, which is idealism, is sturdily defended by the brokers, and steadily attacked by the idealists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-curious-that-christianity-which-is-idealism-is-sturdily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-government-consists-of-a-gang-of-men-exactly-like-you-and-me-they/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-was-a-trader-for-a-company-that-s-different-from-the-brokers-who-we/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Israel must never be expected to jeopardize her security: if she was ever foolish enough to do so, and then suffered for it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/israel-must-never-be-expected-to-jeopardize-her-security-if-she-was/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [A crafty knave needs no broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/a-crafty-knave-needs-no-broker/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. In the town of Phillips, one evening, during a blizzard, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/it-was-in-35-we-had-this-campaign-to-raise-a-million-tax-dollars-in/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-read-somewhere-that-when-a-person-takes-part-in-community-action/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/don-t-be-an-examiner-be-the-interested-inquirer/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/hope-never-trickles-down-it-always-springs-up/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I never drove a car. I'm hopeless that way. I press the wrong buttons on the tape recorder. But if the person I'm interviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-never-drove-a-car-i-m-hopeless-that-way-i-press-the-wrong-buttons/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/to-survive-the-day-is-triumph-enough-for-the-walking-wounded-among/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“I’ll never forget that Depression Easter Sunday. Our son was four years old. I bought ten or fifteen cents’ worth of eggs. You didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-ll-never-forget-that-depression-easter-sunday-our-son-was-four/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/all-you-need-in-life-is-truth-and-beauty-and-you-can-find-both-at-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/reading-a-book-should-not-be-a-passive-exercise-but-rather-a-raucous/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-hope-for-peace-and-sanity-it-s-the-same-thing/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to museums, courthouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-total-cost-of-the-federal-arts-project-was-only-23-million-many/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-find-labels-liberal-and-conservative-of-little-meaning-our-language/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let-alone-his-lame-child-s-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-trouble-with-censorship-is-that-once-it-starts-it-is-hard-to-stop/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) [Explore all 142 Studs Terkel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## More Brokers quotes > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Israel must never be expected to jeopardize her security: if she was ever foolish enough to do so, and then suffered for it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/israel-must-never-be-expected-to-jeopardize-her-security-if-she-was/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-was-a-trader-for-a-company-that-s-different-from-the-brokers-who-we/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-government-consists-of-a-gang-of-men-exactly-like-you-and-me-they/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [It is curious that Christianity, which is idealism, is sturdily defended by the brokers, and steadily attacked by the idealists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-curious-that-christianity-which-is-idealism-is-sturdily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If your broker or investment advisor is not familiar with the concept of standard deviation of returns, get a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-bernstein/if-your-broker-or-investment-advisor-is-not-familiar-with-the-concept/) [William J. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-bernstein/) > [We've always had a dual role in the region - friend of Israel, and honest broker. We've given up the honest broker role completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/we-ve-always-had-a-dual-role-in-the-region-friend-of-israel-and/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Stuyvesant chats with Kelly and Katz, The professor warms to the broker, And life is good in the brotherhood Of an air-conditioned smoker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/stuyvesant-chats-with-kelly-and-katz-the-professor-warms-to-the/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Japan should get more involved in mediating disputes between countries and seek to play the role of a peace broker. To make this possible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadako-ogata/japan-should-get-more-involved-in-mediating-disputes-between/) [Sadako Ogata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadako-ogata/) > [A broker is a man who runs your fortune into a shoestring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-woollcott/a-broker-is-a-man-who-runs-your-fortune-into-a-shoestring/) [Alexander Woollcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-woollcott/) > [We never will have any prosperity that is free from speculation till we pass a law that every time a broker or person sells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-never-will-have-any-prosperity-that-is-free-from-speculation-till/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Diversification is something that stock brokers came up with to protect themselves, so they wouldn't get sued for making bad investment choices for clients.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rogers/diversification-is-something-that-stock-brokers-came-up-with-to/) [Jim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rogers/) > [Intelligence, goodness, humanity, excitement, serenity. Over time, these are the things that change the musculature of your face, as do laughter, and animation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/intelligence-goodness-humanity-excitement-serenity-over-time-these/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Now I'm in real trouble. First my laundry called and said they lost my shirt and then my broker said the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-fechtner/now-i-m-in-real-trouble-first-my-laundry-called-and-said-they-lost-my/) [Leopold Fechtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-fechtner/) > [A crafty knave needs no broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/a-crafty-knave-needs-no-broker/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) [Browse all 103 Brokers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brokers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One day I visited a guy who had made a fortune as a broker. He was sitting in his office with his computer. I hire people from here and make deals from this room, he told me. Then he took me to the trading room. Nobody was talking to anybody else, the place was silent as a tomb, they were all sitting there watching their terminals - a great word, terminal. 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