There goes civilisation...

cg5154, you seem stressed out...
Gimme a call sometime, dollsnatch x

So, what, now I'm supposed to feel guilty for being able to put aside a decent chunk amount of money each month, to guard against the day when I might be unemployed through no fault of my own?

The girl thing was simply a reference to the common stereotype that all girls love to shop. I love new clothes and shoes and makeup and handbags. But I think it's far more sensible to save the money for a rainy day.

cg, I'm not saying that you don't work hard. The point is that the majority of the population work just as hard as you, and ought to be able to expect the same rewards for their toil. Including a buffer against redundancy/retirement.

"I live in a shared flat, surrounded by commoners" is full of shit

cg5154, you seem stressed out...
Gimme a call sometime, dollsnatch x

What's a dollsnatch?

I know the solution to all our woes, by the way. We just need to make Chuck Norris cry. It seems like an impossible task, I know, but Chuck Norris' tears would provide liquidity to the entire credit market.

I live in a shared flat that is full of commoners surrounded by shit.

is Broker this boyfriend you've been letting on about cg5154? is that a little shout out to his gal is it?

cg, I'm not saying that you don't work hard. The point is that the majority of the population work just as hard as you, and ought to be able to expect the same rewards for their toil. Including a buffer against redundancy/retirement.

"I live in a shared flat, surrounded by commoners" is full of shit

I don't have a buffer against redundancy. I work in the financial industry, remember? And as I recall, we are the ones whose jobs are at the most risk.

It's true, plenty of people work as hard as I do... or at least they do now that they're in the real world... because they certainly didn't, back when they were in school, because I kicked most of their asses back then. I suspect I'm getting paid more than them because I didn't slack off when I was a kid.

Is this fair? I really don't know, to be honest.

I never used the word "commoners". I despise the implicit arrogance in that word. But you seemed rather clueless as to the sort of lifestyles that bankers lead, so I decided to give you an example from personal experience.

I don't think anyone here is upset about the amount of money you may or may not make CG. I think it was the impression a lot of us got that you felt your earnings (both personal, and for your employer) legitimized a style of living which, to a lot of us, is steeped in ethical quagmires. At least, that's when I got vocal in this debate.

This may not be at all what you believe, but it was the impression I, and clearly some other people on the forum, got.

Hmm . . . i hate to say it but if you dont earn enough money to feed 3 kids, dont have 3 kids, or retrain and get a job where you can make the dough . . . come to think of it my taxes are probably feeding a family of four somewhere.

I want to marry my girlfriend, have kids, but want to be able to bring them up in the way i was, which unfortunately means i have to HTFU, knuckle down, and work my ass off.

**EDIT: **

Having just re read my post, i want to make clear that i wasnt aiming the kids comment at anyone, just making a sweeping generalistion!

tbh, i did like hearing about the ins and outs of banking, but this is getting very vindictive and i think that the arguments are now getting very pinikerty and personal, although i do still think that banking is generally a bad thing, that doesnt mean that everyone involved in the indusry are wankers (although my statement that those who are actually bankers are wankers) in terms of what we are experiencing now, i hope it finishes soon because its not good for anyone other than a few people and organisations who are going to do ridiculously well. hope to see you all on a ride at some point.

i would write a lengthy retort, but nimhbus asked me to be nice. It's sunny outside, bright times!

Hmm . . . i hate to say it but if you dont earn enough money to feed 3 kids, dont have 3 kids, or retrain and get a job where you can make the dough . . . come to think of it my taxes are probably feeding a family of four somewhere.

I want to marry my girlfriend, have kids, but want to be able to bring them up in the way i was, which unfortunately means i have to HTFU, knuckle down, and work my ass off.

I have one child, with me and my partner that, I think, makes a family of three.
You "struggle" to pay your Ocado bill, my heart bleeds for you

I don't think anyone here is upset about the amount of money you may or may not make CG. I think it was the impression a lot of us got that you felt your earnings (both personal, and for your employer) legitimized a style of living which, to a lot of us, is steeped in ethical quagmires. At least, that's when I got vocal in this debate.

This may not be at all what you believe, but it was the impression I, and clearly some other people on the forum, got.

No, bankers' earnings do not "legitimize" a style of living that is ethically abhorrent to a lot of you. The earnings "enable" them to carry on those lifestyles.

A large part of the debate on this thread surrounds whether or not those lifestyles are, in fact, ethically abhorrent. The only reason I started harping on about taxes is because so many people assume that bankers are leeches and contribute absolutely nothing to society. Taxes may be mandatory, but that does not negate the fact that they have been contributed.

The UK government may not spend those taxes in a way that you like, but that's up to you, as voters, to change. I can't, because I'm not British.

I don't have a buffer against redundancy.... And as I recall, we are the ones whose jobs are at the most risk.

It's true, plenty of people work as hard as I do... or at least they do now that they're in the real world... because they certainly didn't, back when they were in school, because I kicked most of their asses back then. I suspect I'm getting paid more than them because I didn't slack off when I was a kid.

I never used the word "commoners". I despise the implicit arrogance in that word. But you seemed rather clueless as to the sort of lifestyles that bankers lead, so I decided to give you an example from personal experience.

Your original argument was about putting money aside each month to insure your future.
The cleaners who tidied up shit round Lehmann's office are also redundant.
It's true that you didn't use the word commoners, but that was certainly the implication of your use of "council estates"
I never "kicked anyones ass" at school, I never felt the need. I hope some one kicks yours soon.

TTiDTM

The occado comment was a joke - hence the wink, getting a delivery from a supermarket is a WOFTAM

I dont have kids so cant offer a valid view, but i do know that i would want to raise them outside London because i cannot see myself being able to provide for adequately and stay living in an are of London i grew up in (Fulham) - this pisses me off as i loved growing up here, and would love to raise my kids here. London is a tough place to survive in this day and age, but its not the just the bankers who have made it that way, more our goverments quest for filthy lucre

I think you are just letting a general stream of anger off in the wrong direction - fuck putting others down, how about building them up

Not one person asked CG if she was woried about loosing her job? Instead its all "fucking cunts this, fucking cunts that" - like i said before you are mistaken in thinking that the majority of bankers live in opulance, its just not the case.

Here's an article which I found pretty interesting and relevant to this thread http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601010&sid=aJ48_bPSf8F0&refer=news

Basically chimes with what others have said, especially vinylvillain, that the majority of bankers/finance workers are not to blame, but the ones who are (i.e.e the CEOs, ratings agencies and regulators) should be blamed hard.

OK everyone. Enough! It's sunny outside. Anybody not at work STFU and go for a ride.
Those of you at work, make the most of it - we'll all be out of our jobs soon anyway.
Applications are open for the commune I am setting up in southern Poland, complete with bike polo court and vegetable garden. No taxes.

A large part of the debate on this thread surrounds whether or not those lifestyles are, in fact, ethically abhorrent. The only reason I started harping on about taxes is because so many people assume that bankers are leeches and contribute absolutely nothing to society. Taxes may be mandatory, but that does not negate the fact that they have been contributed.

wank. they've got accountants so they can squirm out of paying any cent of tax, be it legitamate or illegitamate.

Applications are open for the commune I am setting up in southern Poland, complete with bike polo court and vegetable garden. No taxes.

Libertarian scum ;)

and then we're going shoe shopping (for me)

Consumerist (w)hore ;)

Your original argument was about putting money aside each month to insure your future.
The cleaners who tidied up shit round Lehmann's office are also redundant.
It's true that you didn't use the word commoners, but that was certainly the implication of your use of "council estates"
I never "kicked anyones ass" at school, I never felt the need. I hope some one kicks yours soon.

TTiDTM

I misunderstood what you meant by "buffer against redundancy", I understand now. In that case, yes, I do have one. Am I supposed to feel bad about that?

The ass-kicking I was referring to was in academic terms only. I'm not going to apologize for being good at academics. Don't worry, I'm sure you could kick my ass when it comes to riding a bike.

I only mentioned "council estates" to indicate that I don't live in some secret heretofore-unknown posh bit of Whitechapel that nobody knows about.

"Yes, your lifestyle does sound drastically different from mine. My wages don't feed a family of three for a year,

And what difference does it make that your a girl?"

well you can double the amount of toilet roll the house gets through in a year and don't forget the heating which will be on 27° from September to May.

that's the difference girls make to the household budget.

Consumerist (w)hore ;)

Sussed! What's worse is that they're for my new bankenger job!

I misunderstood what you meant by "buffer against redundancy", I understand now. In that case, yes, I do have one. Am I supposed to feel bad about that?

The ass-kicking I was referring to was in academic terms only. I'm not going to apologize for being good at academics. Don't worry, I'm sure you could kick my ass when it comes to riding a bike.

I only mentioned "council estates" to indicate that I don't live in some secret heretofore-unknown posh bit of Whitechapel that nobody knows about.

^ So confrontational.
Not everyone's against you. Grab your vice of choice and chill.

I misunderstood what you meant by "buffer against redundancy", I understand now. In that case, yes, I do have one. Am I supposed to feel bad about that?

No, you are not supposed to feel bad.
My point was, and is, that we should all be able to have that. We can't, because of the inequitable way that wealth is distributed throughout the world.