3 ms·

Not really secret. To join one of the guilds is to become part of a small club of extremely wealthy and/or well connected people, and the establishment in part

Not really secret. To join one of the guilds is to become part of a small club of extremely wealthy and/or well connected people, and the establishment in particular. One route to entry is through charitable donations, and it's one of the more direct means of exchanging money for power/influence in the UK.

rum3 8y ago
Why is nothing being done about this?
- growse 8y ago
  What, exactly, would you propose?
  - YUMad 8y ago
    Eat the rich?
- tobylane 8y ago
  A lot of power has been taken away from the City and given to the city (from the square mile to the mayor/Assembly). Now it’s vestigial and liked.
mstade 8y ago
I don’t know whether this is true because I never looked into it really, but a colleague of mine in the ndustry told me I could join the banker’s guild. His words were that because I lived in the city[1] at the time, and also worked for a bank in the city, I’d be eligible for membership if the bank would nominate or sponsor me as a representative. I’m hazy on the details, it was years ago, and I don’t really know whether it’s true since as mentioned I never checked it out. I kind of regret not doing so now though, since moving out of the city I’ve learned much more of it’s (weird and interesting) history and it would’ve been fun to at least try to see some of this from the inside. It probably wouldn’t have worked anyway, but would’ve been fun to try. For anyone looking for a fun little intro to the weirdness of the city and it’s history, I recommend CGP Grey’s channel and particularly his videos on the City of London[2][3]. [1]: for the benefit of people who might not be aware – “the city” is a colloquialism for the City of London, which is a small somewhat autonomous part of London, situated east of what most people (who don’t know this) probably think of when you say the city of London. [2]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LrObZ_HZZUc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LrObZ_HZZUc [3]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ROpIKZe-c https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ROpIKZe-c
- cmmeur01 8y ago
  Here is an eye-opening look at how the city operates in the modern day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_ylvc8Zj8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_ylvc8Zj8
personjerry 8y ago
Are there other routes to entry, more accessible to you and I?
- fredley 8y ago
  In a word, no.
rusk 8y ago
> Not really secret. A freemason friend of mine once explained to me that they're described as "a secret society" not because they try to hide their existence, but because they have secrets. i.e. shared secrets that they use as a means to authenticate to one another their membership and status. To me, this seems like an alternative and valid interpretation of the term to the one that you have inferred.

rum3 8y ago

Why is nothing being done about this?

growse 8y ago
What, exactly, would you propose?
- YUMad 8y ago
  Eat the rich?
tobylane 8y ago
A lot of power has been taken away from the City and given to the city (from the square mile to the mayor/Assembly). Now it’s vestigial and liked.

mstade 8y ago

I don’t know whether this is true because I never looked into it really, but a colleague of mine in the ndustry told me I could join the banker’s guild. His words were that because I lived in the city[1] at the time, and also worked for a bank in the city, I’d be eligible for membership if the bank would nominate or sponsor me as a representative. I’m hazy on the details, it was years ago, and I don’t really know whether it’s true since as mentioned I never checked it out. I kind of regret not doing so now though, since moving out of the city I’ve learned much more of it’s (weird and interesting) history and it would’ve been fun to at least try to see some of this from the inside. It probably wouldn’t have worked anyway, but would’ve been fun to try. For anyone looking for a fun little intro to the weirdness of the city and it’s history, I recommend CGP Grey’s channel and particularly his videos on the City of London[2][3]. [1]: for the benefit of people who might not be aware – “the city” is a colloquialism for the City of London, which is a small somewhat autonomous part of London, situated east of what most people (who don’t know this) probably think of when you say the city of London. [2]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LrObZ_HZZUc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LrObZ_HZZUc [3]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ROpIKZe-c https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ROpIKZe-c

cmmeur01 8y ago
Here is an eye-opening look at how the city operates in the modern day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_ylvc8Zj8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_ylvc8Zj8

personjerry 8y ago

Are there other routes to entry, more accessible to you and I?

fredley 8y ago
In a word, no.

rusk 8y ago

> Not really secret. A freemason friend of mine once explained to me that they're described as "a secret society" not because they try to hide their existence, but because they have secrets. i.e. shared secrets that they use as a means to authenticate to one another their membership and status. To me, this seems like an alternative and valid interpretation of the term to the one that you have inferred.