Are we finally seeing the backlash against Patrick Bateman?

[Taverner]

Patrick Bateman never existed. He was the fictional protagonist from Brett Easton Ellis' American Psycho, who, when he wasn't a Billionaire Stock Broker by day, was hacking and killing victims by night. The end of the book and movie is that despite confessing to all his crimes, no one prosecuted or did anything, because to be a Stock Broker in the 80's was to be untouchable.

In the 90's, there was a little backlash after the Reagan Crash of 88, but the Patrick Batemans of the world were once again heroes, treated like rock stars. Hell one even got engaged to "Princess" Anne Hathaway before being found guilty of fraud.

Then in the 00's the Morgtage guys were the new Patrick Batemans. They could sell, resell loans and make hefty cash every time. They were treated like rock stars - hell one even got engaged to "Princess" Anne Hathaway before being found guilty of fraud.

But today its different. Anyone who isn't a stock broker or a banker hates them. No, let me rephrase that, LOATHES them. They know they are responsible for the mass layoffs and forever floundering of our economy. Santelli's attempt at a Galtian revolt on the trading floor brought more jeers than cheers, and most of America knows there is no difference between Bernie Madoff and Patrick Bateman.

So I am I right here? Or in 2 years are we going to back to fawning over these guys like untouchable royalty again?

[Howardx]

1. nice analogy!

im not sure most of america "fawned" but the media sure did.

[Taverner]

2. Well, the folks on Wall Street who called themselves"Masters of the Universe"

...never had a hard time getting a table at Dorsia ;)

[paulsby]

3. you do realize

that the book (and movie) leave open the possibility that bateman never did kill anybody. iow, it was all in his imagination. whether he did or didn't is never definitively answered, but imnsho i lean towards the "it's all in his fantasy world" conclusion.

also, he wasn't a billionaire stock broker.

he was a millionaire investment banker

not that i am being picune :)

[Myrina]

4. I think that 'imagined power' is a key point to the whole thing ...

... the Patrick Batemans of the world imagined they were that powerful and glitzy, and the media played up the yuppie-fantasy-life, and most of us accepted it as 'the life we'd like to have but never will cause we're not cool enough' ...

... all just a fantasy - just like the Ward and June Cleaver 1950's.

Hurts when something that big, falls that far.

[paulsby]

5. yes

i KNEW he was also truly depraved when he made those huey lewis and the news comments.

i mean dismembering hookers is one thing.

but huey lewis and the news!?!?

[Howardx]

6. hehe

wasnt there a chapter about a genesis album too? brilliant.

[paulsby]

7. yes

i think south park also made subtle reference to that, when the kids all get on ritalin and talk about how soothing and melodic phil collins is.

[Taverner]

11. I do know that if you take enough pain killers, Phil Collins actually sounds GREAT

Of course, so does Perry Como, and Skinny Puppy played simultaneously.

[Taverner]

9. Huey Lewis, Genesis and Whitney Houston

All three were some of the most hilarious words put to prose ever - especially considering the fawning types of reviews those albums got at the time.

[Howardx]

10. yeah

that really really bugged me when i first read it but looking back it was genius.

[Taverner]

8. Yes - exactly

:)

[dustbunnie]

12. I think the point wasn't that stockbrokers, or Patrick Bateman in particular, were untouchable.

It was that people were oblivious. Everyone around him was inept. Either that, or had their own agendas... like his immigrant housekeeper, who just didn't want to lose her job, so put up with cleaning the blood off the walls. That is what was truly prophetic about the book.