BBC: Can you pin down exactly what would keep investors happy, make them feel more confident?So the industry that was rescued from the brink of collapse is gearing up (hoping) for the next market collapse. Interesting. On the one hand, sure, times like this are when fortunes are made and lost, but during the last collapse, this industry barely missed a beat. They came back stronger than ever because the political class believed that they needed to be saved, outrageous bonuses and all. Nobody wanted to trim the excessive payouts and so we're left with people like this trader who is drooling at the thought of impending doom for millions. (It really gets good about a minute and a half into the video -- the BBC hosts are taken aback at how brazen this guy is.)
TRADER: That's a tough one. Personally, it doesn't matter. I'm a trader. I dont' care about that stuff... We don't really care how they're gonna fix the economy, how they're gonna fix the situation. Our job is to make money from it. And personally, I've been dreaming of this moment for three years. I have a confession, which is, I go to bed every night, I dream of another recession, I dream of another moment like this.
BBC: Why?
TRADER: Because, people don't seem to maybe remember, the 30s Depression, the Depression in the 30s, wasn't just about a market crash. There were some people who were prepared to make money from that crash. And I think anybody can do that. It isn't just for some people in the elite. Anybody can make money, it's an opportunity.
BBC: If you could see the people around me, jaws have collectively dropped at what you just said.
When the next bailout or TARP-like plan is rolled out, let's remember who we're saving and who is going to be left behind.
