My girlfriend is mad, I mean really mad. Apparently she has seen a side of me she never thought was there. Anyone hearing her talk would think that I caused her bodily harm or cheated on her, but no her anger was brought on after a conversation about the recession – more specifically banks and bankers roles within the recession.
My better half’s reaction towards folks working in our financial institutions is common place in western society at the moment. They are the modern day villains, the Nazi’s of our time (a bit strong?) – heck, if I was running for office I’d try and paint my opponent as a bank sympathizer the first opportunity I got.
Now with the dust settling and the majority of countries recovering– I want to ask, who is really to blame for the down fall of the world’s economy? The reason me and my woman argued is because I put the blame squarely on people like myself, and my girlfriend, and her friend at her work, and her friend’s lecturer – the blame has to go to everyday people. Main Street (as you Americans put it) is to blame.
Ok, maybe not all of it, but it has to own up to its fair share. What…to soon?
I find it fascinating that we are debating about how greedy banks have been, how investment bankers have no morals and how Dick Fuld is the devil himself.
Come on now.
What about people that bought mortgages they can’t possibly afford? What about buying a car that you can’t possibly make the payments on? Why is Obama getting the blame on a culture that was in place during Clinton’s time?
Banks and bankers exist only to make money, fact. I learned that when I was 12 years old. They are not there to be the beacons of society, they are there to make money. They are not there to be leaders of men, THEY ARE THERE TO MAKE MONEY. Their greed is a survival mechanism. Their immorality is the difference between them ending up like Lehman Brothers or Barclays. I know it’s hard to swallow that the Chief Executive of (insert bank name here) isn’t looking out for your well being but thats the reality of our capitalist system.
I know what I can and cannot afford. I would love to buy a flat and maybe a new car, but I can’t afford to so I have to make do with living with my mother (I’m still 23 give me a break) and riding in my rusty Corsa. Do I grumble about it? Yes! Do I look on enviously at my banker friend who is back to making a killing? Yes! Do I hate him for doing his job well? NO!
We are living in a world where no one wants to take responsibilities for their actions. I am hugely disappointed in Obama and Brown for not showing real leadership on this issue. I agree, fixing banking regulations is a must to make sure that a collapse of that magnitude never happens again, but changing people’s habits is a much more pressing issue. Changing the idiotic premise brought on by Clinton that everyone should own a house would be a great start.
I want a politician to treat me like a human being, tell me the truth, don’t simplify the issue. “Prime Minister Brown, what are you going to do about me and my fellow greedy Britons who helped to bring on this financial mess?”
Don’t just address the politically palatable – make us eat the vegetables as well.
Just a normal everyday bloke writing about films.