March 24, 2015

"It’s no longer a way for a working-class guy with street smarts and a huge native intelligence to make a lot of money."

"It’s now the domain of the kinds of technical specialists who are really winners in other parts of the economy as well," said the cultural anthropologist, Caitlin Zaloom, on the occasion of the closing of the futures pits in the Chicago Board of Trade.

10 comments:

MadisonMan said...

I played Pit all the time as a kid. I wonder if the game is even sold now.

(Looks).

Ah -- it is.

Bob Ellison said...

Next down: NYSE.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Yeah, people with buggy-whip making skills are having a tough time too.

Curious George said...

"You've made enough" - "B. Hussein Obama

traditionalguy said...

Hierarchy of World Rule depends on eliminating peasant success stories like those told during the rare 250 years of escaped North American Colonists that had a brief success ruling themselves.

CWJ said...

Passing of an era. The board of trade building is at the foot of Lasalle St. Looking north you primarily see the street itself. The back side fronts Congress(?). Looking south you'd see the buildings accross the street. I particularly liked the irony of showing the "back door" entrance to the building in the NYT article announcing the end of the pits. (Note the building reflected in the photo.)

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Who does Caitlin think the technical specialists are, trust fund kids?

lemondog said...

Used to work across the street from the BOT and made periodic visits to the pits in the gallery section.

BOT from LaSalle Street view

At the top statue of Ceres goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility

madAsHell said...

Caitlin Zaloom

Whoa!! Not what I expected!!

I'll bet she would look even better in a fedora, and a whip. We could go spelunking for lost treasure.

Magson said...

Trivia about Ceres statue at the top -- she doesn't have a face becuz she was up so high that the sculptor figured nobody'd be close enough to see it. But then other skyscrapers went up nearby........