The 3 videos that accompany this forum discussion corresponds to the movie "A Margin Call." It is a fictionalized account of the day before the financial crisis of 2008 exploded.

The first video describes the moment in which a major bank discovers that its fixed income Mortgage Based Assets that are carried in the books are worthless, with projected losses much higher than the market capitalization of the bank.

The second video is the Senior Partner Meeting that convenes to discuss what decision to make. In the end, it is decided to sell the assets to other investors. In this way, the assets are disposed of the financial statements and the bank escapes huge losses.

The third video is the pep talk from a Senior Manager of the Trading Division to its traders to sell the assets at fire sale prices.

Questions:

1. After carefully watching the first video, please listen what the CEO says in the second video. Choose one statement of his that, in your opinion, best depicts his ego-based awareness and, by extension, of the institution. Please explain why you are choosing such statement and reflect on its impact on society.

2. In the same meeting (second video), picture yourself as either Peter Sullivan or Sam Rogers. What would you have done under those circumstances? What ethical concerns do you have, if any, about the final decision that was made?

3. In the third video Sam Rogers tells his traders that they worked for "the greater good." Do you agree with that? Why or why not?

Below the three video clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAWtcYOVbWw (Discovery of Worthless Mortgage Based Securities).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISDgcB-J4fQ (Senior Partner Meeting).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSy8kIF8Plg (Fire Sale of Assets -- Pep Talk)