The wolf of wall street – how narcissism destroyed jordan belfort

“ No matter what happened to you in the past, you are not your past. You are the resources and the capabilities you glean from it. And that is the basis for all change,” from the mouth of Jordan Belfort. Martin Scorsese directed this film inspired by a true story of a stock broker involved in illegal ways of making money. Jordan Belfort the main character in the movie conflicted desire to be seen as both wealthy and accepted by the group causes him to do many dangerous actions. By examining Wolf of Wall Street through the lens of American’s view on luxurious living, the protagonist’s interest in money results in narcissism, greed, and wealth.

Narcissism is a psychological disorder usually of high profile individuals. People tend to use this as complement and boast of this character. Many high profile individuals are classified as a narcissistic on television from time to time. The movie “ The Wolf Of Wall Street” demonstrate how a rapid success leads to the narcissistic behavior and downfall of a Wall Street icon due to his narcissistic behavior. True life movies demonstrate the rise and heroism of an individual whereas director Martin Scorsese in his movie “ The Wolf of Wall Street” tells the story of a New York stockbroker, Jordan Belfort, development of narcissism and downfall of his business empire due to narcissism.

Although many critics argue that “ The Wolf of Wall Street” accept the greed and objectification of women leaves public with no morality message, the film successfully deliver the message that the rapid success cause an individual to develop the narcissistic behavior which eventually leads into destruction. Scorsese is well known for his film that describes protagonists who are outside the mainstream. His ability to demonstrate the place and the period of his plot is exceptional. Detail study of the character, superior acting and physical humor are key features of producing high quality film. Demonstration of violence in psychological and language is the strong feature of Scorsese’s film. Scorsese depicts how his protagonist character suffers for who they are and those objectionable traits are often not chosen by the character. In film, The Wolf of Wall Street has all the characteristic of the Scorsese film which successfully demonstrates life of Jordan Ross Belfort, a New York stockbroker.

“ The Wolf of Wall Street” is a film about a New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, building and fall of his business empire and the change of his nature during different stages of life. Film demonstrate how a simple guy go to work in the Wall Street with a high profile stock broker, learn the skills of telephone solicitation and understand the in and out of Wall Street in six months. When he loses his job on first day of stockbroker due to black Monday and market crash, he looks for another job as a stockbroker of penny stock. His telephone solicitation outstands in the firm and he standouts as a confident and successful stockbroker. He succeeds in one after another venture and open his firm with his guys. This rapid success develops narcissism within him and he starts breaking the law. He trains his guys to pressure sale uses the inside information to make money.

With every success, Belford started to place himself in superior position and above the law. He engages in criminal activities of drugs, prostitution, trying to bribe the officials and money laundering. His narcissism reaches the peak when he decided not to leave the security market to protect himself from law instead pie on a subpoena and continue his illegal activities. Finally he loses most of his money that were in swiss bank and finally held in front of law and charged for his criminal activities. Narcissism starts developing in Belfort since he started to work in the penny stock brokerage firm in long island. Belfort says,” Everybody looks at him as he first discovers fire.” Everybody supported him and give him a feeling of superiority which fertilizes the narcissism. Narcissism develops within him when other people started to follow him giving him pseudo perception of importance and sense that money can buy everything.

A man quit his job and follow Belfort without a question and with Belfort’s other buddy he stated his brokerage firm which sole purpose is pressure sale penny stock and make money. Students are leaving their college and home to work in his firm after interview in the Fobes. Brooklyn model has relation with him even he was married, prostitutes and drugs. This gives him confidence to engage in the illegal activities to make money. Narcissism reaches the peak and destroys Belfort and his business empire. Belfort tries to bribe the federal agent in spite of his legal adviser advises not to do so. When everybody suggested him to get out of market and save what he had earned, he decides to stay in the market and one of his friend piss on the subpoena of SEC.

Loss is therefore privileged above and connected intimately with accumulation. The only person with the most problematic life was Jordan Belfort putting himself in such a predicament resulted in issues. Taking drugs for instance was a choice that developed into an addiction. All the habits Jordan gained was poor decisions made from drug abuse. The greed of being an illegal stock broker changed Jordan, his wife and children barely recognized the person he was becoming. In the film Belfort took so many doses of narcotics he ruined an expensive sports car and did not know until the police showed up to his house.

When narcissism reaches the peak, it destroys the people suffering from it and the people ability to think critically hampers. Critique says that the movie glorify the greed, justify objectification of the women and leave no moral message to the viewer but in fact it proves that the greed of being rich causes manipulation of laws and develops the psychological disorder which destroys a person. Objectification of women was shown to demonstrate other factors that caused the narcissism. Narcissism developed in high profile individual lead them to criminality and eventually destruction of a person. Once the narcissism starts developing somebody should standout warn an individual that may leads to destruction instead of following them.