Trading and the Culture of Greed
Wall Sreet trading floor
What do they do?
From Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of The Vanities (1988)
In the excerpt the protagonist, Sherman McCoy, who is a Wall Street bond trader with a six-figure salary, is trying to explain to his 7-year-old daughter, Campbell, what he actually does for a living. Not an easy task.
Who are they? What are their values? What kind of lives do they lead?
Oliver Stone (dir.) Wall Street (1988)
The scene where Gordon Gekko delivers his famous greed speech
and the How Much Is Enough speech. Work sheet.
Martin Walter, "Wanted Psychopaths to Play the Stock Market", Sept.19. 2005, Times OnLine Work sheet
Mary Harron (dir.), American Psycho (2000)
The scene where Patrick Bateman and his associates compare business cards.
From Marissa Piesman & Marilee Hartley, The Yuppie Handbook (1984) Work sheet.
The excerpt describes a typical yuppie couple and their life.
From Douglas Coupland, Generation X p. 20-21 (1991)
Contains Dag’s description of his ex-hippie now- turned -yuppie boss, Martin.
Reflections/Second Thoughts
From Studs Terkel, The Great Divide. Second Thoughts on the American Dream, "Jack Maurer" (Postscript: After Black Monday Oct. 19. 1987) 1988. Contains the serious reflections of a commodities broker after Black Monday October 19. 1987.
The South Sea bubble the first stock market crash in the 1720s
Conclusion
Bob Balaban (dir.) “Money is the Price of Life” from Subway Stories (1997)
Objective
English
Give an insight into the investing and trading culture, the pervading values and norms and the type of people who are part of this setting
Give an insight into the yuppie culture of the 1980s
Develop textual analytical skills (film og prose) and establish a vocabulary to communicate about the subject of trading.
Product Danish - English Phrase book containing key words, phrases and concepts regarding trading.