On Topic: Congratulations, You’re a Rebel
Insubordination.
A term that feels incredibly relevant today — both in my personal life, and with the current state of the world — specifically, on one particular street in Lower Manhattan.
If you aren’t aware of what’s going on in the world of stocks — you’re missing very little. I don’t say that because it’s insignificant, I say it because it quite literally has zero effect on your life.
The short of it — a bunch of 20-somethings figured out how to make a bunch of money while simultaneously forcing a group of extremely rich people to lose money.
They’re calling it a financial revolution. “Hold the line” they’re saying — as if their acts will lead to sweeping change. Keep this in mind, one of the men reportedly hit hardest by this act of rebellion, Steve Cohen (who recently purchased the New York Mets), has apparently lost “billions.”
In my opinion, if you lose billions and you still have billions, you’re going to be just fine. Meanwhile, amateur traders with three computer monitors in their bedroom are putting hundreds, if not thousands of dollars into this “fight” — from the outside, it doesn’t look like it’s one they’re going to win.
Let’s dive into our word of the day, shall we?
Insubordination:
The act of willfully disobeying an order of one’s superior. Insubordination is generally a punishable offense in hierarchical organizations which depend on people lower in the chain of command doing what they are expected to do.
You can see how this term, although loosely, fits the mood of the Big Apple’s Financial District this morning.
Except the acts of the Reddit-led mob are not punishable, and neither are the intentions of those they are rebelling against — because no one is doing anything that’s against the rules, they’re just doing something the other side doesn’t like.
I’d like to highlight some specific parts of the definition above.
Willfully disobeying.
We all do quite a bit of this every day, whether we realize it or not.
We fail to use the crosswalk, instead crossing the street where we please.
The crosswalk is the order given by the municipality (the superior) — and failing to use it is punishable by a ticket or a fine.
It’s a small example, but it holds. Congratulations, you’re a rebel.
Chain of command.
This one is clear, as we all exist within one, even if it’s just in our own home.
The children report to the father, who reports to the mother, who reports to no one — obviously.
Finally, doing what they are expected to do.
This one is a bit tougher.
Take a moment to think about what you are expected to do. As a child, you’re expected to behave. As a teenager, you’re expected to mature. And as an adult, you’re expected to succeed.
What happens when you fail to do one of those things depends on who and where you are — and that’s where this story works its way back to me.
I’m 25. I have a beautiful fiance. We share a lovely apartment. We’re both employed. We have two cats that we smother with affection. We’re in love.
As an adult, that feels like success, doesn’t it?
What’s missing — if anything — is financial stability.
We exist, but I don’t make enough to help us, specifically myself, live beyond that. It’s something I struggle with. I love my job, I do, but lately I find myself dreaming of our word of the day — insubordination.
I take issue with a chain of command, I always have, which leads me to willfully disobey — instead of doing what I am expected to do.
Lately I can’t help but wonder if that never ending timeline of rebellion comes from what I feel is a lack of compensation, or if I simply have fundamental issues with the way things are being done.
It feels like I pick small fights, fights I think I’m winning, before I ultimately realize those at the top, will always be at the top.
I wake up ready to take on Wall Street each and every day — and every day, the rich get richer.
In reality, I’m dramatic — and in case you didn’t already realize, I have absolutely no idea how the stock market works, though I have seen Wall Street, the original and the one with Shia Labeouf.
I am an adult, and I am successful, and someone is always going to make more money than I do, but I can’t let that stop me from existing to my fullest potential. I know a winnable fight when I see one. What’s happening with Wall Street right now is not winnable, as much as the teenagers investing their life savings into it believe it is — but the fight I’m facing, the conflict between wanting more and finding it inside myself to simply do more, that’s a fight I’d bet on, even if I am the underdog.
Thank you for reading this far.
Until next time.
