On Saturday night, as most couples do, I went to the movies with Amandla and because he does not like movies and I did not have the deep desire to see anything in particular, he got to choose and we watched 'Wall Street'. This is a sequel to a earlier movie called 'Wall Street' with some people in it and it was a big hit and had a lot of catch phrases (i have not seen it).
Anyway, this movie is about the financial crash of 2008 which rocked the ship we all sail on, especially those with American family roots. I am not a ecos student; i do understand it and have never really had the desire to correct this. I have a basic understanding of some concepts, and i have a basic understanding of the financial crash. This movie explains it how it happened- built up over time, people knew it was coming, and then finally the massive implications it had (not for the everyday people, but for the big shots).
However, this is not what struck me about the movie. What struck me was 'the game'. When one big shot banker was asked "what his number was? The number that he could earn and that would be him saying enough and retire" he replied "more!" and that is the truth. The financial world is a huge game- trading, selling, exchanging, betraying...it is all a game. It is not about the money..those guys have so much money they could buy a country. It is about the game. One screws over another, who gets revenge, who gets screwed etc etc etc. It is a cut-throat world where people (there are a select few women who make it) eat eachother for breakfast.
Also, this movie showed me that greed really does make the world go round. Why do people want more; they are greedy. Why are bigger building being built; fastest cars being made; gigantic houses be sold...people want bigger and better...it is greed. It is quite realist in nature (i am tutoring firs year politics)...people are greedy, self-interested and live in a state of anarchy which allows them to do anything they want, moral not applicable.
Now, it is not the only world like this. All industries are cut-throat. As a friend once said to me, "if you aren't a shark, you aren't going to make it". And it is true; you need to be strong and know what you want. But, this movie showed me you also need some strand of morals, whether it be a parent, partner or just a special project, that keeps you grounded and prevents you from going crazy from the greed and the game.
All this said, the game is fun sometimes (especially if you are winning), and buying big fancy stuff is nice (when you have money). I would not make it in the financial world, but i would like to reap some benefits of it ;-)
Anyway, go watch the movie...it is very cool and has taught me many life lessons.
Now, i am going to go back to my love affair with 'Modern Family'
Farewell young friends...
p.s. i have lost all the marbles in my head...
i saw Wall Street the other day and really liked it, particularly since i sat in many discussions in IPE where we talked about NINJAs and the like and it was horrifying sitting there watching that and thinking 'no! you fools! no!'.
ReplyDeletewhat did strike me also was how much the game they describe sounds a lot like the game of Trade. when i was involved in that, it seemed like the only thing that was important in the world. not winning: just the game, just playing the game. what also struck me is how afraid i am that one day i will get high enough on the corporate food chain such that i am playing the game all over again, except this time for real. money is not particularly important to me but winning, i hate to admit it, is.
maybe that makes me a shark, but it also makes me think, the game is not for me because no one ever wins and that's the shit part about it.