Topic > The Wolf of Wall Street: The Ethics of Greed

Index IntroductionThe Wolf of Wall Street: The Story of Jordan BelfortEthical Issues in The Wolf of Wall StreetConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionAristotle once said that “business is not moral if pursued to accumulate wealth because l 'human appetite since material gain would be unlimited." This is accurately depicted in The Wolf of Wall Street as it shows how Wallstreet became the protagonist of the film; Jordan Belfort into a greedy and callous individual. This led him to commit numerous crimes related to stock market scams. The Wolf of Wall Street describes the ethical problem that humans encounter and how greed can become one of the main motivations for making money. He illustrated how gluttony, ambition and desire can lead a person into deception in the stock market. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay The Wolf of Wall Street: The Story of Jordan Belfort The Wolf of Wall Street features protagonist Jordan Belfort showing early days as a Wall Street stockbroker who was introduced to the luxurious lifestyle with money, power and drugs. Belfort was later fired due to the stock market crash which led Jordan to start his own business. With his alluring throwing styles and ambition, he created his own company Stratton Oakmont. The company convinced people to invest their money in penny stocks and other unpredictable securities. His company grew rapidly thanks to Belfort's scams and misleading sales tactics. As the company grew, so did his greed. He became extremely materialistic and obsessed with wealth and power. He later found himself investigated by the FBI for his illegal cash flows which led him to launder his money into offshore accounts to protect himself. The film is based on the autobiography written by Jordan Belfort after his indictment for fraud and manipulation as a stockbroker. The director of The Wolf of Wall Street is an award-winning director and producer; Martin Scorsese. Scorsese was born in 1942 and is a prominent director in the industry. He had an immediate interest in cinema and worked towards this goal from an early age (biography, 2018). Scorsese is known for his meticulous filmmaking style and attention to detail, as he is widely known for his various successful films such as Shutter Island, Hugo, and many more. Martin Scorsese used his experience to capture all the essential details to showcase Jordan Belfort's memoirs. He incorporated elements such as voiceover to effectively tell Jordan's story so that viewers could properly understand Belfort's mind. Overall, Martin Scorsese's achievements speak for themselves, along with his award-winning films, to prove that he is indeed a legend in the film industry. Ethical Issues in The Wolf of Wall Street Based on the movie The Wolf of Wall Street there is clearly an ethical issue with Belfort and his company's sales strategies. This film highlights how greed can be the main motivation for making money and can consume one's desire for power. However, Belfort's actions can be seen throughout history, particularly in third-century Rome. During third century Rome; greed and the desire for power were the ruin of the Romans. At the time, Rome was constantly at war with the Persians and border tribes. To finance the war; taxes for civilians were increased along with high inflation rates leading to the upheaval of the middle class (Bannerman, lesson 1, slide 46). This proved that the thirst for