Interesting look into the psyche of those going into finance from an Ivy League. I wonder how many people in medical and law school are there because it’s something relatively open-ended and worthwhile to do without feeling completely aimless after graduation?

joychoi:

A thought-provoking assessment of the inveigling forces of the corporate world of finance.

Especially during this stressful season of on-campus recruiting, this article addresses a real, recurring moral dilemma faced by many of my peers and the basis for existential questions concerning our future trajectories and life purposes.

It’s not always as clear-cut as the dichotomy of going into I-banking vs. serving in the public sector… working for the Man vs. fighting for social justice… financial security vs. risks into the unknown. We dream of making something meaningful of our lives.

I appreciate the writer’s insights into the conundrum in which college grads find themselves, but what bothers me is his lack of prescribing any kind of remediation or alternative for those who want neither extreme, and his resignation to continue as a cog in the machine that cranks out security-seeking Ivy League graduates.