What Is Wrong With This Picture? (UPDATED)
- Posted by: Casey Caplowe
- on February 17, 2009 at 4:54 pm
This photo, which appeared on the front of the Business Day section of the New York Times last week, features the executives from the financial institutions that received bailout money testifying before the House Financial Services Committee.
So, what is wrong with this picture?
(There are so many options. But as I have a strong opinion as to what is it is, I’m eager to hear other people’s thoughts before I weigh in.)
UPDATE (at 6:07pm site time):
All good thoughts. As noted, there’s no end to what is wrong with the moment captured in this photograph (by Doug Mills/The New York Times). However, all the white, gray-haired men with blank faces and blank notebooks not being tarred-and feathered aside, Will’s first comment hits closest to what really irks me: the plastic bottles lining the table.
Maybe this seems small in comparison to the financial crisis emanating from these men, yet it’s also so much easier and clearer to fix—and by some measures not that much smaller of a problem either.
Plastic bottled water is a colossal waste of resources in so many ways. The trash created when we dispose of these bottles lasts nearly forever (7 to 450 years to biodegrade according to Wikipedia) and literally tons of it (specifically 2.5 million bottles an hour) end up in our oceans. Now we have a giant island (the size of Texas) of floating plastic garbage taking over our oceans. When I saw this video about the Pacific Garbage Patch last year, it really stressed me out.
Now, I’m fairly opposed to consuming needless plastic.
So, when I see a stationary gathering (I can at least concede the merits of plastic bottles for their portability) not too far from where I’m certain there is a cafeteria that likely has glassware and pitchers and running water, I get frustrated. Admittedly, I confront this situation and the mild sense of frustration it leaves in me quite regularly. However, when I see all of this, combined with these men who have become the living embodiment of short-sightedness and reckless irresponsibility in another profound way, the similarities become a bit overwhelming. When it’s blasted out across a front page section in the New York Times, it’s even disheartening.
I may have no idea what to suggest we do about the economy, but for this, it’s easier: Next time you’re thirsty, fill up a glass of tap water. If you’re at a meeting or conference, get a pitcher, maybe even with some ice, to share around the table. When you’re on the go, carry a Sigg or other sturdy waterbottle. That would go a long way to taking care of our plastic (water) bottle problem.
DISCUSSION: 23 Comments
All I see is a diverse group of selfless financial innovators, from all walks of life, with normal-sized water bottles. Wait, wait — those water bottles are smaller than normal.
Is it that they are all still the heads of financial institutions, even though they obviously should have resigned?
Oh! Is it that they are still alive, as opposed to having committed ritual suicide or having been tarred and feathered by angry plebs?
No diversity!
These guys ain’t no hollerback girls.
Where the women at?
You’re never fully dressed without a smile.
They are praying the Earth would swollow them up whole!
Well my take is if they are truly worried with the current state of their institutions, they would be bald or atleast sporting hair pieces to cover the islands developing on their heads.. I see too much grey.. I need to see some plain white bald heads!!
All I see are blank notebooks! Since they are being lectured on what they did wrong, shouldn’t they be taking notes so they can implement corrective actions?
I’m with Will and Atley
- they all wore the same blue suit- blank notebooks sure, but also blank faces- the frame was too small to include the corporate jets they flew to DC on- and most obviously, they’re all old, white men- no surprise since we’re talking major financial institutions, but sad none-the-less
they aren’t wearing jumpsuits
I’m with Morgan. If I had failed that miserably at my job, I wouldn’t have one.Why does the Government still trust these guys?They couldn’t handle it before, What makes the government think they can do it now?
Casey thinks he can lecture anyone because he has a Sigg.
I think the only thing I can think is thank goodness it’s not me… Those guys probably have so many hit’s out on them!
all of them still have their heads.
What’s wrong with this picture???? Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and Chuckie Schumer are absent!!
Remember that the plastic bottles were put there by the congressional committee that is so sensitive to our enviorment. The problem with that picture is the there were no congressmen being tared and feathered.
Right on Casey: I feel your pain every time I see plastic bottles mindlessly used like this, especially by the rich and the leaders of our government and economy. It’s one thing if you’re trucking in water for victims of a national disaster, but when it’s just every day use when there’s plenty of tap water (and everybody can buy a reusable water bottle), it’s utterly sickening and just epitomizes the waste in our Western, disposable, consumer society. And don’t even get me started on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch … that makes me want to vomit.
er.. the linked article claims 2.5 million plastic bottles per hour, in the US alone?! Source please. Factual irregularities belittle the whole argument
The biggest problem is that they aren’t talking. Perhaps I’d feel better if they were just out with their greediness and rolled with an entourage of gold-grilled, diamond lugging, bitches and ho’s. At least there’d be no denying what’s really going on. It’s not like that money is short because they gave it to under privileged students or started breakfast & lunch programs for students K-12.
for Pete’s sake, stop using the plastic, it’s just tacky. there are glass water bottles even. I mean, you wear a bespoke suit, shirt, tie and shoes but you drink out of plastic. the man who robs my grandfather, mother and me of our economic futures should at least have some style. Think about the style and flare of the long tradition of suit wearing American gangsters. Do it right or give me my money back. I’m a broke college student and even I don’t drink out of plastic bottles.
This hearing is in a federal building. The water bottles where supplied by you…the tax payer…thanks to our wasteful government. Im curious what the brand is and what they had to do to lobby their way in there. Check this story about The Thieves Stealing Your Water
I am sad. These guys look so bored and so unconcerned and a desire to get to a two martini lunch. Makes me sick.