4 ms·

As someone who has never lived in the bay, what is the "investment banking mentality" you refer to?

sixQuarks 8y ago
Basically, it's a place that attracts the very smart people who are only wanting to make lots of money. It used to be these people would go into investment banking when finance/oil companies ruled the world, now it's tech companies.
- hkmurakami 8y ago
  Also the “we’re better than everyone else because X” mentality, including the vacuous “changing the world” rallying cry. I don’t recall feeling that sense of superiority in past decades nearly as much as today.
  - jihoon796 8y ago
    It's not only money that drives these people, but also ego/prestige. I did my undergrad in finance - during that time, most of my peers looked down on my interest in technology. At one point, one of my friends (who is an investment banker now) even told me to stop having a "poor person's mentality". Of course, many of these same people jumped into the tech industry (if such a thing exists) as soon as it became "prestigious". Although they have only a very shallow interest in actual tech, they've brought that same superiority complex with them. I've legitimately overheard someone say in a SF cafe: "I couldn't be a doctor...it doesn't change the world enough and you don't actually earn that much." facepalm
    - hkmurakami 8y ago
      I’ve never framed “change the world” as an ego drive but that really does make a lot of sense. I honestly don’t think outcomes were that important for the folks who were in the industry in the 80’s and early 90’s. “No one became a billionaire back then” is something I’ve been told a few times. I’m face palming so hard my hand is embedded in my face st the last one. Especially since surgeons earn 500k+ so even leaving aside the tremendous difference you can make in a person’s life as a doctor, that comment is just completely ignorant.

Basically, it's a place that attracts the very smart people who are only wanting to make lots of money. It used to be these people would go into investment banking when finance/oil companies ruled the world, now it's tech companies.

hkmurakami 8y ago
Also the “we’re better than everyone else because X” mentality, including the vacuous “changing the world” rallying cry. I don’t recall feeling that sense of superiority in past decades nearly as much as today.
- jihoon796 8y ago
  It's not only money that drives these people, but also ego/prestige. I did my undergrad in finance - during that time, most of my peers looked down on my interest in technology. At one point, one of my friends (who is an investment banker now) even told me to stop having a "poor person's mentality". Of course, many of these same people jumped into the tech industry (if such a thing exists) as soon as it became "prestigious". Although they have only a very shallow interest in actual tech, they've brought that same superiority complex with them. I've legitimately overheard someone say in a SF cafe: "I couldn't be a doctor...it doesn't change the world enough and you don't actually earn that much." facepalm
  - hkmurakami 8y ago
    I’ve never framed “change the world” as an ego drive but that really does make a lot of sense. I honestly don’t think outcomes were that important for the folks who were in the industry in the 80’s and early 90’s. “No one became a billionaire back then” is something I’ve been told a few times. I’m face palming so hard my hand is embedded in my face st the last one. Especially since surgeons earn 500k+ so even leaving aside the tremendous difference you can make in a person’s life as a doctor, that comment is just completely ignorant.