I wanted to show this clip (watch from around 1:00) because I think it summarises a lot of the movie and themes without being too visually offensive.

Here is some of the text for those translating:

"Let me tell you something. . I’ve been a rich man, and I’ve been poor man. And I choose rich every fucking time. Cause, At least as a rich man, when I have to face my problems, I show up in the back of a limo wearing a $2000 suit …and $40,000 gold fuckin’ watch! Now, if anyone here thinks I’m superficial or materialistic. Go get a job at fucking McDonald’s, because that’s where you fucking belong! But, before you depart this room full of winners, I want you to take a good look at the person next to you, go on. Because sometime in the not-so-distant future, you’re pullin’ up to a red light in your beat-up old fucking Pinto, and that person’s gonna pull up right alongside you in a brand new Porsche, with their beautiful wife by his side, whose got big voluptuous tits. And who will you be next to? Some disgusting wilder beast with three days of razor-stubble in a sleeveless moo-moo, crammed in next to you with a carload full of groceries from the fucking Price Club! That’s who you’re gonna be sitting next to. So, you listen to me and you listen well. Are you behind, on your credit card bills? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Is your landlord ready to evict you? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Does your girlfriend think you’re a fucking loser? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing! I want you to deal with your problems, by becoming rich! All you have to do today …is pick up that phone, and speak the words that I have taught you. And I’ll make you richer than the most powerful CEO of the United States of fucking America. I want you to go out there, and I want you to RAM Steve Madden stock down your clients’ throats. Till they fucking choke on it till they choke on it and buy 100,000 shares! That’s what I want you to do. You’ll be ferocious! You’ll be relentless! You’ll be telephone fucking terrorists! Now, let’s knock this Motherfucker out of the park!"

The wolf of wall street I think was aimed at bring a satirical parody of American corruption and greed in the stock exchange. It intends to show that greed and pursuit of money will lead to a cesspit of crime, drugs and questionable sexual behaviour. The movie does do this in some ways, but feels more like an excuse for Di Caprio and his Hollywood mates to show off the excessive and ridiculous lifestyles of the rich and famous, which is a little ironic and funny tbh.

For me, it missed the mark and irritated me more than anything. As Daily Update said, it really lacked any meaning and while I suppose that is the point; if you live a life like this, you will too lack meaning, it is an exaggerated and patronising message. In fact there are many famous and wealthy people who are disgustingly rich and also are kind, generous and live satisfying, honest, and meaningful lives.

The movie tries to say don't aim for money and success it will only lead to disgusting behaviour, and yet everyone making the movie is in this position, happy or not. I feel like they unintentionally made a mockery of themselves while also giving no nuance. You can compare it to The Pursuit of Happiness and see how someone from dire poverty lived an honest and meaningful life through getting a job in the stock exchange, and more importantly, both are true stories.

I also think the movie aimed to show some social mobility to "poor people" but failed miserably. The Wolf says he lived poor and rich and he chose rich. So all of us here who aren't wealthy, let it be a fucking lesson that we just aren't making good choices in life. 😭  It's our fault if we're dirt poor, and certainly not because it suits governments and societies for there to be poor people.👀

We all know on BBS in similar circumstances how the crypto world is quite similar to wall street. Of course there are successs and morally deficient people, but there are also many people just seeking out enough money to have a decent life, and do it with a moral compass.

Social mobility in many places is harder and harder to achieve, at least in my experience it is largely dead in the UK despite the dreams some in power will tell you to keep you trying to drag your ass into a shit job every day in hope of promotion, or spending thousands on a degree you'll never use anyway.

The wolf of wall street shows (but doesn't address) what we all know to be true in stock markets and crypto, that luck is a huge factor and typically those making the most success were already fortunate to begin with. Money makes money. And of course we all know how easy it is for people with massive wealth to sit in their fast cars and mansions and tell you not to be greedy. 

In conclusion, for me the movie tried to discourage poor people from wanting financial successes while in turn glorifying it because the Wolf himself faced no true consequences for all he did wrong. All the while, it suggested that money is bad and that if you are sat home watching and dreaming of the day you make your own success that it will leave you morally corrupt too.. while being produced and acted in by massively wealthy people.. is it just me? It really was quite confusing to me and quickly became quite repetative and boring despite all of their excessive swearing and dramatic scenes. 🥱