Elliot Gerson:

Many thought a silver lining of last year's financial crisis -- or from the populist rage that flared against Wall Street excess and to profits born not from creativity but from leverage -- would be that earnings differentials would return from obscene to merely enormous levels, if not to the very generous multiples that had long been adequate to fuel a vibrant economy. Well, the hyper-bonuses are back -- astonishingly having been made even easier to achieve with taxpayers socializing the downside risks. And the crisis? What crisis?

So how many more of America's young and brightest will ask themselves what kind of chumps they are to give up the chance to earn 100 or 500 times as much as their mentors, their doctors, their favorite professors, their idols and heroes?

Decius:

These are intelligent people, our best and brightest, who faithfully represent the best interests of everyone in our country.

The best and brightest should be running at full speed at this point. The question is into what?

Marge Simpson:

Bart, don't make fun of grad students! They just made a terrible life choice.

Vanessa Grigoriadis:

The meritocracy wasn't supposed to work this way.

A banker:

Revolutionize your heart out. We'll still have this country by the balls.

Nouriel Roubini:

Things are going to be awful for everyday people.

Cory Doctorow:

The real reason to wear the mask is to spare others the discomfort of seeing your facial expression ...

The Siren Song of The Street