Bizarre IB Junior Behavior

So I just spent 2 full days working in the office of an EB where I was visiting for management presentations and using a conference room to get some work done. 

The following behaviors struck me as odd:

  1. Fridge creeps - The bank keeps free sodas in the fridge for anyone to take.  Almost every time I went to grab one, a junior banker would come up behind me and stand right fucking there like 1-2 feet away from me while I'm holding the door open, instead of standing further back and waiting for me to leave.  Even weirder because there's a large counter in front of the fridge, so you're basically lodging me in there by choosing to stand in that spot.

This was the craziest thing.  At one point I sarcastically told a junior (who is standing inches from me while I grab a coke) "so sorry, excuse me, I'll just be a second and I'll be out of your way" and she's like "no worries" and continues to practically stand on my toes.

  1. Pizza creep - similar to above, zero spatial awareness when the firm did their weekly pizza day.  The pizzas are all laid out on a counter, and people are waiting in line to get one.  But some folks would grab pizza and just start chatting right in front of the damn pizza box, blocking others who then need to ask them to move.

  2. Loafers without socks - guys, stop trying to pull this off.  It's not working.  Yes I know that one eccentric MD does it.  Guarantee you'll never see a Dimon/Moelis/Taubman type of guy doing it.  I was surprised because I know some dudes tried to get away with this last year, but I thought the tougher environment this year would cause people to be a bit less clueless.  

So my question: is it just the new generation?  i.e. kids these days are so poorly raised that I'd find this anywhere?  

 

Think whatever you want. It’s just your opinion.

I found the whole experience ridiculous. These are supposedly elite college grads and they seem to lack basic self-awareness and common sense. I didn’t know what to make of it.

 
Most Helpful

It's not just elite college grads. It's just shifting cultural values more generally. Look at the way most people dress walking around, awareness around what they're saying/how loud/around who, people's table manners at restaurants, the way that their kids behave, etc. It's like this across the country, and you'll notice it's distinctly different when you travel to other pockets of the world. It's even more exaggerated at college campuses and people hold on to their behaviors after graudating..

 

I totally agree with the spatial awareness point, but I think it also might just be a result of introverted people who never really think about these things. I’m not saying that’s the sole and most important factor in low spatial awareness, just something that I have caught wind of a few times. It’s in tech and universities too. Sometimes “nerdy” people aren’t really cognizant of where they physically stand in relation to other people. Lots of introverted people inadvertently “box you out” of a 5/6 person conversation, while an extroverted person would look around and physically invite you into the circle / conversation.

I guess there’s also the point of social distancing and how young people kind of have been starved of human interaction for a significant part of their youth. So new hires and juniors might not always be thinking of how they’re physically blocking other people. It’s kind of like when you go out to a bar that’s not crowded, but with the caveat that you’re the only sober one out of your friends and everyone’s bumping into strangers and blocking the door while have a conversation. I just don’t think a lot of younger folks, sometimes me included, think a lot about their immediate surroundings and how they affect other people.

As a weird side point, I think being in “sketchy” situations a few times (obviously saying to seek them out) is a great way to boost spatial awareness. You end up thinking a lot more about your physical safety and not only pick up more on your physical proximity to other people, but also what they’re doing / about to do.

 

agree they are being weird. manners are not that common anymore. loafers with socks is crime in Italy - so in London usually 80% of men wear loafers with no-show socks.

but in their defense - remember they're probably sleeping just 4-5 hrs a night. that alone can make them act weird.

 

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