I was in the Salomon Brothers' 1985 training class that Michael Lewis lampooned in his amusing book, Liar's Poker. Imagine my surprise to see him billed as a trader on 60 Minutes, since he was actually a junior salesman. Well-heeled male peacocks strutted the trading floor, and junior salesmen were girlie-men, mere eunuchs serving their pashas.
Michael hit the roof when I ribbed him about the mischaracterization.* Yet, in January 2007 he didn't spare the "wimps, ninnies, and pointless skeptics" at Davos. I wasn't at Davos (Michael wasn't either), but he derided people who staked their reputations--as I staked mine--on the fact that the financial system was in peril. One might think he'd have a thicker skin, when turnabout was fairplay and truth was his casualty.
Incidentally, I was in Salomon's 1989 training class (which included the face of the internet bubble, Mary Meeker).
No comments:
Post a Comment