#2

Today, I watched this excellent documentary on the financial crisis of 2008. Here's what struck me most about it:

1. First, the absolute blind dedication to ideology many of these economists, politicians, etc. had. Of course it's okay to have beliefs on how to best run things, but you have to examine things with a bit of nuance. There is such a thing as bad regulation, but the free market is not a magical thing that can run on its own. It needs rules to keep competition fair, and to maintain some morality. And trusting Wall Street to go about their own business while not engaging in destructive behaviors is stupid. Those bankers, traders, etc. need to be held in line.
2. I'm not a fan of the whole hating on white males thing. But my god, virtually all of those scumbag CEOs who trashed our economy (and got filthy rich off it) were a bunch of crusty old white men.
3. It is simply unfair that we allow people gain so much wealth off a dishonest, bullshit industry. No, I'm not saying that all financial services are bad and should be abolished. But the amount of money that is spent and manipulated on just housing loans is enormous. Why do people who contribute nothing to humanity (betting on these loans, for example), get so much? I'm not sure how we could best regulate and redistribute that wealth, but we shouldn't settle for this bullshit situation that we have now.