Vilification of Young Wall-Streeters
So, I haven't posted here in a while, but I wanted to take a quick second on this dreary morning of the unofficial start to the NYC summer to write about
the vilification of young finance professionals in the minds of those outside the industry. This story really has no goal, I am just looking to start an open discussion I guess. It comes as a result of two unrelated experiences.
First is my recent experience with my extended family. While you would think these people would be supportive of me and my career, the "liberal" side of my family sees me as no different than the Raj's of the world. They think my job involves nothing more than "manipulating money" (a direct quote) and reaping gains while not actually contributing anything to society.
This is interesting as it comes from people who complain about their inability to get a loan for their business, and I am currently working at a leveraged loan shop, evaluating and loaning millions of dollars to businesses in need of capital... But I guess I'm just pushing buttons and manipulating money.
The second experience (and the one that inspired this post) occurred around 1am at a bar last night/this morning. I was enjoying myself, sipping my beer, having a nice conversation and entertaining a lovely young lady at the bar. Everything was going well, making the normal small talk, until we get to the "what do you do for a living" question. Casually, I say that I work in finance, not trying to bore her with the details (maybe I should have...). Instant turn off. I may as well just told her I have syphilis and murdered puppies for a living. WTF? It used to be great to be in finance; now, I would probably be better off saying I have a G.E.D. and work as a garbage man.
I guess my point is this: Finance used to be respected. Those in the industry were seen as smart, driven, hard-working, successful individuals. Most of us (I think) still fit this description; however, due to the actions of a few we are seen as second-class douche bags. I think my family may give my cousin the waiter more respect for what he is doing than me for what I am doing.
But let me say this, I know how hard I worked to get where I am today and how hard I work at work every day. Those who aren’t in the industry, or don’t know me, don’t get it, and it sucks. They think I am nothing more than a monkey that works 100-hours per week (sorry if you do, put in your time, it won’t be like that forever) contributing nothing to society. As I sit here and prepare to blow out of my office at 11am to start my summer, I say… f*** ‘em all, and just hope that eventually the stigma wears off. Happy Memorial Day weekend monkeys…






Yeah man, it's "cool" to hate
Yeah man, it's "cool" to hate on finance these days, and ironically the vast majority of the people who do know nothing about it. Fuck em all, man. Fuck em all. The judgment you were receiving is a reflection of them, not you.
Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?
One less reason to go into
One less reason to go into finance besides simply doing it because you enjoy it.
When folks outside the industry ask me what I do, I say I'm a programmer.
Work hard, play hard.
Next time somebody tries to
Next time somebody tries to ream you out for being a financebro, just take your wad of 100s and make it rain all over him/her.
Example:
http://forgifs.com/gallery/d/165248-1/Keffiyeh_thr...
You'll be hearing that a lot
You'll be hearing that a lot more OP.
My brother has told me, whenever people ask you what you do in the future and you're working in finance, just say you're a Loan Officer.
Just a sophomore looking for an opportunity to start up this dream of mine.
IlliniProgrammer: One less
One less reason to go into finance besides simply doing it because you enjoy it.
When folks outside the industry ask me what I do, I say I'm a programmer.
Seeing as how I'm a current CS major, that too has gotten me a wide range of responses. But the best one has to be when you're chatting up some girl and lay that bomb down and they can't believe you're not a complete nerd/introvert.
Who cares what other people
Who cares what other people think. I will never understand this crap. If someone gives you shit about what you do just walk away from them. Not only are the uninformed, but they are rude and ignorant. Try and not lower yourself by hanging around people with so little class.
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Take comfort in the fact that
Take comfort in the fact that it's their stupidity, not anything that you've done. It doesn't have anything to do with Raj and his ilk - people like them have been around since the beginning. It has never stopped, it never will, and it's not something unique to finance. There is just as much fraud (if not more) in the medical profession, or any other profession, so don't find yourself apologizing for your industry because of them. I know it's tough when it's family, but the sad fact is most people are stupid and gullible.
As for your girl problems, isn't that a nice screening method? Do you really want to be with a girl that stupid? Regardless, never tell a girl you work in finance (or IT/accounting/law/whatever sector you work in). Unless you're a psychic detective, bounty hunter, or other profession which by its very name is awesome, always take the essence of your job and explain in simplest terms why you add value, which makes anything sound much cooler. E.g. "What I do is pretty complex, but here's the deal. Right now, our economy is having a hard time getting off the ground because business owners can't get the money they need to grow and hire people. My job is to find a way to responsibly get millions of dollars to these businesses so they can grow, and so people can feed their families."
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/big-4-accounting
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/group/entrepreneur
SirBarney: IlliniProgrammer
One less reason to go into finance besides simply doing it because you enjoy it.
When folks outside the industry ask me what I do, I say I'm a programmer.
Seeing as how I'm a current CS major, that too has gotten me a wide range of responses. But the best one has to be when you're chatting up some girl and lay that bomb down and they can't believe you're not a complete nerd/introvert.
"Lay that bomb down?"
I think even Illini would admit that being a programmer is a low status job.
holla_back: SirBarney: Il
One less reason to go into finance besides simply doing it because you enjoy it.
When folks outside the industry ask me what I do, I say I'm a programmer.
Seeing as how I'm a current CS major, that too has gotten me a wide range of responses. But the best one has to be when you're chatting up some girl and lay that bomb down and they can't believe you're not a complete nerd/introvert.
"Lay that bomb down?"
I think even Illini would admit that being a programmer is a low status job.
Definitely did not mean to imply that, I was implying how CS has a pretty bad stereotype of programmers being nerdy/introverted/shy/weird
holla_back: "Lay that bomb
"Lay that bomb down?"
I think even Illini would admit that being a programmer is a low status job.
Spoken like a true douche bag. Apparently the gist of the post went completely over your head.
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
rufiolove: holla_back: "Lay
"Lay that bomb down?"
I think even Illini would admit that being a programmer is a low status job.
Spoken like a true douche bag. Apparently the gist of the post went completely over your head.
How am I speaking like a douchebag? I certainly don't brag about being an engineer.
/commeceRant I'm just a dude
/commeceRant
I'm just a dude with a job, and have no use for anyone that needs to drag their worldview into everything all the time. My liberal relatives have their 401K in my company, so I kinda chuckled when I learned that. It also helps that my bank didn't take any government money, so there's that. I've gone to the bar and hung out with OWS people, just to hear what they have to say. Some were cool people with good points. Some were jerks: one guy started getting rude about how 'corporations are evil and so am I', so I stood up on the table and shouted "YEAH MOTHERFUCKER I OPPRESS YOU NOW LET'S DO ANOTHER SHOT"....true story.
/endRant
This is just a job. My understanding of people that judge you by your profession is that they're not worth knowing. If someone is cool, great, if not, screw 'em.
Just do your thing.
YOU JUST GOT TROLLED
http://www.troll.me/images/red-foreman322/dont-you...
Totally see where you're
Totally see where you're coming from. I don't care about what people do for a living, I value other things. And I don't really respect people who put a lot of importance on job title.
BTW, I think the stigma will remain, we are entering the "Evil professions" club. I hear it was founded by lawyers.
Lol. I love the responses to
Lol. I love the responses to this thread. Essentially, "Fuck them, it's because they are stupid." Typical WSO.
But here's a thread called "Do you care about your 'value-add' to society". I think many of the responses speak for themselves.
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/do-you-care-...
And here's one where the WSO members "vomit" after reading Robert Shiller's speech telling young financiers that they play an important role and should use that role to make the world a better place.
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/my-speech-to...
You complain that now people look at financiers as second-class douchebags. I disagree, I believe they are seen as first class douchebags and that is certainly how they behave on this site; if that's any indication of the people going into finance. The site is divided into Targets and non-targets for crying out loud, think about that stratification.
You're crying because you want respect, stop being a b*tch and do what you need/want to do. You don't need to create a thread on a Wall Street forum to try and justify your worth and morality (the two reasons wall street is being vilified). Many of the young financiers on this website have demonstrated they lack either quality, if you have them, demonstrate it yourself because very few going into finance are going to demonstrate it for you. Though i have met some fantastic people who work on wall street.
ie, earn your own respect because it certainly isn't going to come from hanging out in this crowd, and deservedly so IMO.
holla_back: I think even
I think even Illini would admit that being a programmer is a low status job.
I would simply say there is an extremely strong correlation between comp and competence/work ethic for programmers and engineers. And there are programmers who make more than folks on the business side. At the risk of being a smug bastard... nah, I won't go there. :D
Bottom line is that saying "programmer" is a lot more relatable to the average person than "quant".
Work hard, play hard.
Whoa, I think I glossed over
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lol @ entire thread vilifying
IlliniProgrammer: One less
TNA: Whoa, I think I glossed
Work hard, play hard.
JeremyLinMVP: So you seek
Work hard, play hard.
IlliniProgrammer: TNA: Whoa
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And what is this crap about
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IlliniProgrammer: 1.) We're
TNA: I don't know. I've just
Work hard, play hard.
Not trying to be smug, but
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When my gf's mother who is
NYU: When my gf's mother who
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TNA: Either way my entire
Work hard, play hard.
IlliniProgrammer: TNA: Eith
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Every time I meet OWS people,
"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."
If I am at the bar and
Work hard, play hard.
TNA: NYU: When my gf's
happyhippo: "Do you care
YOU JUST GOT TROLLED
http://www.troll.me/images/red-foreman322/dont-you...
Good piece, Billy Ray. Your
Chaos2Order = JRE, Ph.D.
View my WSO Blog
Wow, this spiraled a bit out
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These are two seperate
Capitalism is the best
GBS
Bondarb: These are two
1/2 of the WSO Bash Brothers
"Licensed to Ill It"
We all know Bro J did it...
It's like people complain
Hu... Do you you want people
IlliniProgrammer: JeremyLin
Liberalism is a mental
Yes, the vilification of
IlliniProgrammer: One less
"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan
Neurosurgeon ain't cool.
Connor: IlliniProgrammer: O
YOU JUST GOT TROLLED
http://www.troll.me/images/red-foreman322/dont-you...
Connor: IlliniProgrammer: O
Work hard, play hard.
Every time when a girl ask me
"I am the hero of the story. I don't need to be saved."
Human: Every time when a girl
"A man generally has two reasons for doing anything. One that sounds good, and the real one." - J.P. Morgan
Human: Every time when a girl