“The society which has abolished every kind of adventure makes its own abolition the only possible adventure.” Paris, May 1968


Friday 10 February 2012

Can brain scans solve the financial crisis?

An interesting BBC 2 Horizon last night looked at research into the possible biological causes of psychopathy. A few points caught my attention. 1) It may be possible to identify psychopaths by means of a brain scan. 2) The biggest concentration of psychopaths is to be found not in prisons but in the upper echelons of The City. 3) By their ability to charm and manipulate others, psychopaths are able to rise to the very top of business and financial institutions but although they can talk a good job and blag their way to the top their results are often terrible. Having bullshitted their way to a top post they make a huge cock up of it. So, the financial meltdown is beginning to make a bit more sense now. Should everyone in the financial sector be given a brain scan in order to keep the psychos out of the boardroom? Can we rescue the economy by getting rid of the amoral spivs who run it? Should banking be put back in the safe hands of the Captain Mainwarings of the world rather than being run by a bunch of Private Walkers who have a screw loose as well? Discuss.

1 comment:

henry said...

Methinks that the modern day Private Walkers have totally got rid of all the Capt Mainwarings and they sorched-earthed that entire culture of safety first & caution.

Perhaps a return of the Mutual Society would work, but with better rules to protect them from the carpetbaggers and the fate of the old TSB.