Bankers Boycott restaurant for Comparing Them to Hitler

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Bankers are promising to cease occupying Mario Batali's restaurants after the chef and restaurateur compared them to Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. The celebrity chef drew the comparison at a Time event about who should be the magazine's person of the year, saying, "So the ways the bankers have kind of toppled the way money is distributed and taken most of it into their hands is as good as Stalin or Hitler and the evil guys…They’re not heroes, but they are people that had a really huge effect on the way the world is operating."
Related: Wall Street Encampment Is Turning Into a Tiny Town

Financial workers who heard about the remarks stormed the comments section at Bloomberg's internal restaurant review pages, and bankers have reportedly already begun voting with their wallets, canceling reservations at New York's Babbo and Del Posto. The resulting conflagration on Twitter and on Bloomberg's internal comments speaks to what we already knew were delicate sensibilities on the part of Batali's financial-world customers.
Related: The Mole At Occupy Wall Street

"Used to frequent this place but Mario will never see a dime of my money again. I’d rather eat at a hot dog cart," one wrote about Del Posto, according to Bloomberg critic Ryan Sutton. "Screw this jerk. Plenty of great Italian places in NYC. No need to support him. Ecco on Chambers Street blows his food out of the water anyway," said another. Sutton also tweeted this one: "Credit derivatives trader calls me: 'I spent $4,000 on a white truffle dinner on Monday at Babbo. This is sh!tty. I feel used.' " Another trader from ICE futures told Sutton (per his Twitter), "Occupy Babbo ... I'm calling for a Wall St.-Wide Boycott." Eater reports that "one large bank has canceled all Batali restaurant reservations while another bank sent out a memo today to all staffers saying they wouldn't reimburse receipts from Babbo and others in the group."
Related: Wall Street Occupiers Fear Drummers Will Be Their Undoing

Batali says he was misquoted, but Bercovic, who cited a Time's recording of the event, said he gave Batali ample opportunity to explain the comparison when he grilled him afterwards:

After the debate concluded, I asked Batali if he could elaborate on his belief in moral equivalence between the guys whose greed caused the mortgage crisis and the tyrants who slaughtered millions and reduced Europe to rubble. "Oh, that was just a metaphor," he said. But, offered the opportunity to back down from his pronouncement, he stood firm. "The way people change lives, I do think bankers change lives as much as a repressive [inaudible] autocrat. But, that said, it was more direct." ("It" presumably meaning the Hitler/Stalin form of evil.)

The limited public follow-up between Batali and Bercovici speaks to some bad blood behind the scenes of a news story. Batali said in a tweet, "Mr b deliberately misquoted me for a pr land grab." Bercovici tweeted in reply: "Misquoted you? Everything you said's on tape. I even gave you a chance to clarify afterward." Bercovici told us on the phone that that's been the extent of his and Batali's discussion following the story. "I have called and emailed his spokesperson to see if he wants to clarify his comments or explain why he feels he was misquoted, and I haven’t heard back," Bercovici said.
Related: The Arab Spring's Advice for Occupy Wall Street

But regardless of who said what about which monster of history, Sutton said the trading world is feeling pretty burned up about Batali. "Regardless of what happened, Batali needs to find a way to make the financial industry happy very quickly, because these people who spend lots of money at his restaurants are very unhappy, and by virtue of that, it appears that they will stop spending money at his restaurants. Regardless of what was said or not said, it's Batali's challenge to fix this."

http://news.yahoo.com/bankers-boycott-batali-comparing-them-hitler-214323578.html

[RadioRaheem84]

They are only reinforcing Batali's point. That they have way too much power to devastate anyone who goes against them. They have the power to economically drain you if you attack their interests.

[manic expression]

I might boycott for comparing Stalin to bankers. :tt2:

No, but seriously, bankers acting like they're persecuted? Give me a break.

I’d rather eat at a hot dog cart

Oh, you poor dear! :rolleyes:

[Marxaveli]

Typical banker scum, always playing the victim. If only they knew how much they were really hated right now, they'd all probably do the rest of the world a favor and commit suicide.

[Waltraute]

I wonder what Bret Easton Ellis would make of this predicament

[RadioRaheem84]

Well, he did compare bankers to psychopaths. Which ironically is turning out to be somewhat true according to recent studies. So his novel is not that far off from fiction.

[blackandyellow]

Well, he did compare bankers to psychopaths. Which ironically is turning out to be somewhat true according to recent studies. So his novel is not that far off from fiction.

trying to reduce the financial crisis to the mental defects or moral failings of individuals is the absolutly worst thing the left could do

[RadioRaheem84]

trying to reduce the financial crisis to the mental defects or moral failings of individuals is the absolutly worst thing the left could do

..........and in no way was I say saying that we should.

[blackandyellow]

You said that studies are showing bankers to be psychopaths.

[Le Socialiste]

You said that studies are showing bankers to be psychopaths.

To be fair, there have been studies that show a fair number of bankers and CEOs to be sociopathic in their actions and behavior. It's not the source of our problems, but it is an interesting aspect.

[WeAreReborn]

I spent $4,000 on a white truffle dinner on Monday at Babbo. This is sh!tty. I feel used.

Really? You're the one feeling used? Most Americans don't even make $4,000 a month. :thumbdown:

[Robocommie]

You said that studies are showing bankers to be psychopaths.

God forbid Radio should cite a study which shows something which YOU don't find to be politically expedient.

Who gives a fuck? To me, saying that the economy has been hijacked by a class of people without any moral scruples at all is extremely sympathetic to socialism because it logically leads to the conclusion that the economy and the means of production must be placed under total democratic control so that the livelihoods of society can't be hijacked by a cabal of selfish bastards.

[RadioRaheem84]

You said that studies are showing bankers to be psychopaths.

It's just pointing out the irrationality of the system. It promotes and encourages and rewards anti-social behavior.

[blackandyellow]

There's Communist psychopaths too. Look at these leftists cults where grown men (im excusing silly teens) casualy justify someone killing 1000s of people. I dont care for the personality traits of bankers; just the social relations.

[RadioRaheem84]

There's Communist psychopaths too. Look at these leftists cults where grown men (im excusing silly teens) casualy justify someone killing 1000s of people. I dont care for the personality traits of bankers; just the social relations.

There isn't a whole social/economic system built around these "psycho-Commies". Finance capital plays a huge part in our society and it dictates social policy too. That is the difference.

What leftists cults?

What are you talking about? How can you not see that there is a difference here? Bankers command social power.

[Commissar Rykov]

Someone defending Bankers? Oh Revleft.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Bank and Corporations are basically big Sociopaths made up of smaller ones and you cannot compromise with sociopaths.

[Robocommie]

There's Communist psychopaths too. Look at these leftists cults where grown men (im excusing silly teens) casualy justify someone killing 1000s of people. I dont care for the personality traits of bankers; just the social relations.

You're being ridiculously uptight on this for someone so new to the forum. I'm just going to lay this down here, does the black and yellow in your name perhaps relate to this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Anarchist_flags_and_stars.svg

Are you a Misean troll or are you just a newbie looking to pick a fight over a non-issue?

[RadioRaheem84]

I'm going with troll. I don't know what leftist psycho paths promoting death that he is talking about.

[Robocommie]

I'm going with troll. I don't know what leftist psycho paths promoting death that he is talking about.

bcbm :)

[La Comédie Noire]

"We're not oligarchs god damn it we earned most of that wealth!" Tyrants in denial.

[blackandyellow]

I'm not a Misean or Anarcho-Capitalist. I'm not defending bankers.

In fact, portraying bankers as psychopaths, rather than looking at the social relations, is what a lot of the 'end the Fed' type people do.


I'm going with troll. I don't know what leftist psycho paths promoting death that he is talking about.

Clearly you have not encountered or spent much time talking history with Left cults, nor even bothered to look at the History section of this very forum.

[RadioRaheem84]

I'm not a Misean or Anarcho-Capitalist. I'm not defending bankers.

In fact, portraying bankers as psychopaths, rather than looking at the social relations, is what a lot of the 'end the Fed' type people do.



Clearly you have not encountered or spent much time talking history with Left cults, nor even bothered to look at the History section of this very forum.

I can see what you are saying. Yes, their social relation to their financial firm requires or at least encourages anti-social/socio-pathic behavior.

But these bankers also have a relationship to the State that gives them social power over policy too, which affects the rest of us. At least in the realm of production, there is some accountablity that can be measured. With financial capital, it is completely parasitic. Wealth is "created" through rampant asset destruction and then asset accumiliation.

What left cults? Can you cite examples,plz?

[Pretty Flaco]

You're being ridiculously uptight on this for someone so new to the forum. I'm just going to lay this down here, does the black and yellow in your name perhaps relate to this?


nah he's just a big fan of wiz khalifa

[eyeheartlenin]

You're being ridiculously uptight on this for someone so new to the forum. I'm just going to lay this down here, does the black and yellow in your name perhaps relate to this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Anarchist_flags_and_stars.svg

Are you a Misean troll or are you just a newbie looking to pick a fight over a non-issue?

That there is some impressive research, Robo; good for you! I was wondering what "black and yellow" referred to, and now you have let the cat out of the proverbial bag, which is a real revleft public service. It certainly helps the rest of us put the claim, "there's some commie psychopaths, too," in perspective!

[RadioRaheem84]

Sorry Black and Yellow but this pm needed to be posted:


blackandyellow:
Members of these cults will justify in one way mass murders in history:
http://www.cpgb-ml.org/ (http://www.cpgb-ml.org/)
http://www.frso.org/ (http://www.frso.org/)
http://pslweb.org/ (http://pslweb.org/)
http://www.workers.org/ (http://www.workers.org/)
http://www.wpb.be/ (http://www.wpb.be/)
http://www.workers.org.uk/ (http://www.workers.org.uk/)


he is suggesting that these are cults and apologize for mass murder one way or another.

[tobbinator]

I think they should take that as a compliment. Surely Stalin and Hitler had a far better record than any banker.

[Zealot]

All of those sites are Marxist-Leninist... Do we have a Capitalist-Trotskyist on our hands? Interesting specimen.

[Robocommie]

That there is some impressive research, Robo; good for you! I was wondering what "black and yellow" referred to, and now you have let the cat out of the proverbial bag, which is a real revleft public service. It certainly helps the rest of us put the claim, "there's some commie psychopaths, too," in perspective!

I just like pretty colors and stars

[Commissar Rykov]

Black and Yellow neg repped my post for saying he was defending bankers with the statement of No. Excellent rebuttal.:laugh:

[blackandyellow]

Sorry Black and Yellow but this pm needed to be posted:



he is suggesting that these are cults and apologize for mass murder one way or another.

The charge of cult may be unfounded for some of these, but the two British groups are.

Also, it was a visitor messege, not a private one. Just so people know I wasnt trying to hide this, i jsut thought it was off topic.

[blackandyellow]

Black and Yellow neg repped my post for saying he was defending bankers with the statement of No. Excellent rebuttal.:laugh:

What more can you to someone who thinks that looking at the social relations in society, not the psychological make of bankers, is somehow 'defending' them.

[Commissar Rykov]

What more can you to someone who thinks that looking at the social relations in society, not the psychological make of bankers, is somehow 'defending' them.
Since you are obviously an anarcho-capitalist it is just becoming comical and sad at this point.

[socialistjustin]

This guy cooks some amazing food so they're missing out. Happy to know that the food culture has some people sympathetic to shit like OWS.

[blackandyellow]

Since you are obviously an anarcho-capitalist it is just becoming comical and sad at this point.

No, I'm not. Do you even understand what I am saying?

You're actually a very stupid person.

[black magick hustla]

Since you are obviously an anarcho-capitalist it is just becoming comical and sad at this point.
lol trust me he is not

[black magick hustla]

You're being ridiculously uptight on this for someone so new to the forum. I'm just going to lay this down here, does the black and yellow in your name perhaps relate to this?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Anarchist_flags_and_stars.svg

Are you a Misean troll or are you just a newbie looking to pick a fight over a non-issue?

no he is not shutup. he makes a good point. a lot of liberal weirdos and like shallow leftists talk a lot about "corporations" and how they are made of "evil" people rather than looking to capital as a social relationship. of course most buisnessmen are not evil. a lot of them are probably nice. are you a sociopath because your computer is probably made of minerals that cause civil wars in africa?

[Nox]

Bankers are promising to cease occupying Mario Batali's restaurants

I doubt Mario Batali will give a shit and they will probably continue eating there when they realise that nobody else gives a shit either.

[Nox]

he is suggesting that these are cults and apologize for mass murder one way or another.

To be honest, I can't really think of any other way to describe them.

[Franz Fanonipants]

that fat ginger better watch what he says about comrade s.

[Waltraute]

Luther, of course, took no reservation in his attack on the cartels and trusts of his day


First, There are some who have no conscientious scruples against selling their goods on credit for a higher price than if they were sold for cash: nay, there are some who wish to sell no goods for cash but everything on credit, so that they may make large profits. Observe that this way of dealing – which is plainly against God’s Word, against reason and all fairness, and springs from sheer wantonness and greed – is a sin against one’s neighbor, for it does not consider his loss, and robs and steals from him that which belongs to him; it is not a seeking for an honest living, but only for avaricious gain. According to divine law, goods should not be sold for a higher price on credit than for cash. Again, there are some who sell their goods at a higher price than they command in the common market, or than is customary in the trade; and raise the price of their wares for no other reason than because they know that there is no more of that commodity in the country, or that the supply will shortly cease, and people must have it. That is a very rogue’s eye of greed, which sees only one’s neighbor’s need, not to relieve it but to make the most of it and grow rich on one’s neighbor’s losses. All such people are manifest thieves, robbers and usurers.

Again, there are some who buy up the entire supply of certain goods or wares in a country or a city, so that they may have those goods solely in their own power and can then fix and raise the price and sell them as dear as they like or can. Now I have said above that the rule that a man may sell his goods as dear as he will or can is false and unchristian. It is far more abominable that one should buy up the whole commodity for that purpose.

Even the imperial and temporal laws forbid this and call it “monopoly,” i.e., purchase for self-interest, which is not to be tolerated in city or country, and princes and lords would stop it and punish it if they did their duty. Merchants who do this act just as though God’s creatures and God’s goods were made for them alone and given to them alone, and as though they could take them from other people and set on them whatever price they chose.

[Robocommie]

I sure as shit don't consider people who take advantage of the social position that capitalism affords them, dropping $4000 on truffles when people are out starving on the streets, and then actively engaging in politics to destroy what little the lower classes have left, to be "nice guys." Fuck no.

If that makes me a shallow leftist, so be it. I have no problem whatsoever with making this a moral as well as class issue. There IS such a thing as right and wrong.

[piet11111]

I would not be surprised to see a high percentage of sociopaths in the upper ranks of corporations.
Afterall if you work in field like health insurance the denial of coverage for actually legitimate claims leads to more profits so handing out death sentences is profit and being a sociopath makes the job so much easier.

[black magick hustla]

I sure as shit don't consider people who take advantage of the social position that capitalism affords them, dropping $4000 on truffles when people are out starving on the streets, and then actively engaging in politics to destroy what little the lower classes have left, to be "nice guys." Fuck no.

If that makes me a shallow leftist, so be it. I have no problem whatsoever with making this a moral as well as class issue. There IS such a thing as right and wrong.

everything is fucked and every social relationship is deformed by the violence of the social order. everyone is an asshole

[Robocommie]

everything is fucked and every social relationship is deformed by the violence of the social order. everyone is an asshole

I figured you were going to say something like that.

"Ve are nihilists Lebowski, ve believe in NUZZING!"

Blah blah blah...

[black magick hustla]

I figured you were going to say something like that.

"Ve are nihilists Lebowski, ve believe in NUZZING!"

Blah blah blah...

its not nihilism, its historical materialism man but whatever. im not a nihilist. i just have this member title to troll dnz

[Pretty Flaco]

This guy cooks some amazing food so they're missing out. Happy to know that the food culture has some people sympathetic to shit like OWS.

Ever watched anthony bourdain's no reservations?

"PHAWKER: What do you make of the whole Occupy Wall Street movement?


ANTHONY BOURDAIN: I understand the anger. My understanding of what their message is, I don’t know what it is, it’s not so well defined in my head but I certainly understand the anger and frustration. I’m generally supportive of that anger, a banking system that’s privatizing profits and socializing losses. I’m against that. Who wouldn’t be? Except the bankers."


Interview from nov. 2

http://www.phawker.com/2011/11/02/coming-attraction-qa-with-anthony-bourdain/

[thefinalmarch]

"Used to frequent this place but Mario will never see a dime of my money again. I’d rather eat at a hot dog cart," one wrote about Del Posto, according to Bloomberg critic Ryan Sutton.
what's wrong with hot dogs? :crying:

[Pretty Flaco]

what's wrong with hot dogs? :crying:

it's the food of the grimey street urchins and foul smelling peasants. how loooooooathsome!

[Fawkes]

I wonder if Batali realizes he's just as much of a bourgeois fuck as those bankers are.

[RadioRaheem84]

I wonder if Batali realizes he's just as much of a bourgeois fuck as those bankers are.

300 dollar truffles? Yeah, he knows!

[Fawkes]

300 dollar truffles? Yeah, he knows!

Yeah, those damn greedy bankers are so evil. Oh, by the way, if you want to try one of my mushrooms, work as a dishwasher at one of my restaurants, you should be able to buy one after 40 hours or so.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I figured you were going to say something like that.

"Ve are nihilists Lebowski, ve believe in NUZZING!"

Blah blah blah...

union of egoists, motherfucker.

Anyway, I don't see why morality needs to be brought into the issue of class struggle. Needlessly muddies the waters, imo.

[NewLeft]

Power to the bankers! We support their struggle against the 99%.

[NormalG]

We are all sociopaths

[Rottenfruit]

Bankers are probaly the worst people that exist and are the biggest exploiters of the working class

[Jose Gracchus]

Sorry Black and Yellow but this pm needed to be posted:



he is suggesting that these are cults and apologize for mass murder one way or another.

:rolleyes:

Oh wah wah wah. The poor sects. Be careful you might make your granola soggy with all those tears. :rolleyes:

If you run interference for the Stalinists in the 30s, you're an apologist for mass-murder. That's what is commonly called a matter of fact.

[Blackscare]

Since you are obviously an anarcho-capitalist it is just becoming comical and sad at this point.

Oh come on. Your point was dumb, it's certainly not a "defense of bankers" to assert that the nature of their social/economic relations are more significant politically than whatever personality (emphasis: personal) disorders they may have. I know, I know, it's fun to personalize things and grumble about those evil bankers and whatnot, but ultimately the moral/personal aspect is meaningless because the problems are systemic. If anything, banking and finance capitalism attract sociopaths because there is economic incentive to operate outside of normal ethical limits. Getting all hung up on the personal meanness of this or that banker is silly and unproductive. I don't support everything that this user is saying, not by a long shot, but I think that you fundamentally misunderstood this particular point of his/hers and are now riding the "troll" wave because you'd rather not re-examine the point. Whether or not this user is a troll, and they may well be, the point stands. Address it or don't.



By the way, they're not "clearly" a troll by any means, don't pretend like that's so because it suits your argument and another user suggested it earlier. Their name is black and yellow, which is a popular song I think amongst dumb people. Also, as dumb as some of the stuff the user in question has said may be, I've seen dumber from sincere users. Don't assume.