Greed is Good (Wall Street Movie Review)

ZACH DE GREGORIO, CPA

In 1987, a movie came out that changed the business world forever. That movie was Wall Street starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen and directed by Oliver Stone. The movie was very successful, and Michael Douglas won an Academy Award for his role as Gordon Gekko. If you have not seen this movie, you should. Gordon Gekko is the villain of the movie. He is a very powerful deal maker on Wall Street who is driven by money. He is most famous for one line where he stands up at a stockholder meeting and says, “Greed is Good.”
I think it is important to talk about this idea. This movie was so good that it is still making an impact on our culture almost 30 years later. People still talk about Gordon Gekko, because the character was so vivid. Unfortunately, this character has become how most people think about business. Gordon Gekko stands for the ruthless businessman.
Let us talk about how this affects you. If you work in accounting or finance, this stereotype impacts how people look at you. People have a lot of negative ideas about money. I have seen this happen a lot. Even someone who is just starting out in business school, might feel conflicted about money. Your fear is driven by the idea that you might become a money hungry villain. It is more than Gordon Gekko. You see it in TV shows all the time, where the villain is a ruthless business person.
I want to talk about what is actually going on here, and I am going to be very blunt. The reason why the villain of Gordon Gekko was so compelling, was that people can relate. There is a little bit of Gordon Gekko in all of us. So when he says “Greed is Good,” you are secretly thinking to yourself, “You know what? He is right.” We all want more money. We want a raise at work. We want a better car, or a bigger house. And we want to provide for our families. The reason why Gordon Gekko is such a powerful character is because you can relate.
The reason this is important, is if you want to be successful, you need a healthy relationship with money. If you equate success with being a villain, you will feel shame about getting more money. Greed is a part of all of us. People are always shaming themselves for wanting a better life, and that creates all kinds of money problems.

Neither Zach De Gregorio or Wolves and Finance Inc. shall be liable for any damages related to information in this video. It is recommended you contact a CPA in your area for business advice.

[apr]

Man this video is amazing! Really agreed with every single word you said!

[phillipchavez]

Oh my god, amazing video! I completely agree with what you're saying. Awesome, man 👍

[ryanragan]

Love these videos I'm on my way to become an accountant. How about a video on what accounting softwares companies use today that students should know about? Thanks. Greed is 👍

[BuddyNovinski]

So, greed is good if it should motivate progress. Therefore, it should also push against brainless bureaucrats who block and fear progress.

[JJTAcc]

Excellent video, Zach. Thanks. This statement is the basis for capitalism, and as you mentioned, progress.