I got sucked into the Investment Banking industry like that guy who got sucked into the engine of a jet. I should have known what would happen if I got too close, but I leaned in anyway. Like the child who knows the electrical outlet will zap them, but still sticks their finger in. I figured, at the very least, I was starting out on a firm foundation at one of the nations largest and oldest banks.
Lehman Brothers began more than 158 years ago, and in a matter of 10 months I watched them go from being the pioneers of Wall Street, to the flaming wreckage of Cessna piloted by an arrogant amateur. The early days of my career there were something I will always treasure. I learned much about what NOT to do as a Trader, and subsequently as a human being. We found out about the collapse long before the media did. We were all encouraged to find employment elsewhere, and in between searching job listings, we were telling our clients that their money was safe, and that everything was just fine. To say I have regrets would be an understatement, but if you can't learn from your mistakes, you truly are doomed to repeat them. And I almost did.
I managed to jump off the Lehman Titanic mere moments before it finally hit the iceberg, and lept into an evil little life raft known as Goldman Sachs. I wont say too much about them, because they still remain one of my best reccommendations, and the highlight of my resume. I will, however, discuss my failures there. Good stock trading mostly comes from simple confidence. Skill and education actually play a less significant role. If you aren't brave and risky, you will fail at trading. Risk-taking bravery is often the result of confidence, and it's very easy to be over-confident working at a place like Goldman. Despite all this, I was determined to take advantage of this new opportunity to do things right, which of course was met with significant opposition. On several occasions, I was confronted by people for being "an evil-Goldman employee" or a "corporate thief". The best was when I was called a "greedy Wall-Street pig" which came in a facebook tirade from a woman who used to attend my church with her daughter. I later came to realize that she was ignorant, overall emotionally unstable, and too excited to jump on the latest CNN bandwagon.
Even now, I feel like there are several people in my life who treat me based on how they feel about Wall Street employees. Working as a stock broker is what I've chosen as a career for now, but it does not define me. I want to be known as more than a brash "Wall-Streeter". On the railing of an escalator in midtown, someone graffitied "You are not your job." and that couldn't be more true about all of us! We all put so much time and effort into maintaining a facade, but why? Why are we so afraid of people knowing who we really are? I don't believe that I truly know the people in my life, and I'm tired of it. I know for a fact that they don't know the real me, either. The protective barriers are a waste of time, when we could just skip the cordial crap and have deep and meaningful friendships with one another.
To everyone reading this: I want to get to know the real you. And I invite you to get to know the real me.
Those are some very true Statements! In a media society, people are blinded by so-called common knowledge without any dispute and use this faulty source to evaluate everything and everyone. Even Common knowledge has it's flaws.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there are groups of people that try to force people into categories that are limiting and degrading. They usually do so because they are unsecure and they want to control others through these social barriers. People usually keep their guards up for fear of being unrightly categorized or missunderstood.
Contrary to the modern state of mind, every person is different and deserves the right to interact and explore other persons without prejudice.
I wish it were easier for people to just be honest with who they are instead of acting like what they are "supposed" to be. God gave us all different personalities and we are not bound to what society says we are. WE have a choice!
I can say that I only had one group of friends that I could really just be me without any feelings of restraint. It was like being a kid again. It didn't matter if I said or did something wrong, I knew that they would forgive and try to at least understand what I had to say. Now a days it has become harder to be the Big kid that I am because of the harsh and strick regulations of being an adult.
I am for, getting to know people that honestly want to know me.
JJH 2
Applause! You are quite adept at getting your point across, Mo! There will always be people who stereotype others, you just have to learn to deal with it. I do it myself, sometimes. Recently, I had a conversation with a store cashier who I had secretly dubbed the "CVS Nazi" because of her unfriendly attitude to me. I went out on a limb this past week and struck up a conversation with her as I made my purchases. I found that she was going through her second round of chemo. She admitted that she didn't feel well, and I realized that her grumpiness may well have been a result of this life-changing sickness and its treatment. We never know exactly what makes some people act the way they do.
ReplyDeleteI am for letting the real me shine through - covering up and pretending is such an emotional drain. Be who God wants you to be, and within that Spirit controlled realm, allow people to see the real you. My personal philosophy is this: if people don't like me, it is their loss! That may sound conceited, but if I am who I am only to please someone else, then I am living a lie. To my knowledge, I have no enemies, although there may be some who do not care for my company as much as others, but I am okay with that... they can be themselves, too!
Don't worry Moe, once you become a lawyer, nobody will ever stereotype you based on your career again! (sarcasm inted for humor only!)
ReplyDeleteI don't wish for less cordiality. Most of the things people would say to each other if there was no common edicate, would be vile. Either sexual or degrading. (how can we know for sure? Listen to conversations of drunk people)
Why are we so foul to each other? Because we fail to look inwards. If we can attack other people for thier faults we can deceive ourselves into thinking our own faults are infinitesimal.
Truth be told- we all are as thieving as any wall street legend. We would all have stolen just like they did. We all would have accepted government bailouts AND bonusses! Further- we all would have shot JFK for the right price, we would have destroyed the WTC. We all would have cheered for Hitler. The truth is that all our hearts are desperately wicked beyond knowledge. The ONLY thing that keeps us from becoming the next serial killer or rapist is a lack of oppurtunity. There is no hope in and of ourselves. We all deserve hell. Let the one who says "I'm not so bad" get REAL for a minute.
This all sounds dismal, no? Well it is, except for one Lily of the Valley. In Christ, there is hope.
So, unless I can speak with a person who has looked inward and been honest: I would prefer to keep it polite, cordial and measured off with proper etiquette. The person who had realized the TRUE nature of themselves, will certainly avoid name-calling and feeling-stomping.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI am not for less cordiality, simply more honesty. Also, the comment you made on opportunity, to be fair, needs to be expanded upon. I'm not up for killing or raping anytime soon, but there are other sins which, if given the opportunity, would be difficult to resist.