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If you’re someone who spends any amount of time on Instagram, TikTok or even Facebook, there’s a likely chance you’ve been subjected to the satirical, catchy jingle: “I’m looking for a Man in Finance. Trust Fund. 6-5. Blue eyes. Finance.” And so it continues, for approximately 19 seconds.
Assorted clips (usually compiled by women) of well-groomed men in suits, striding through city streets, riding the subway or dominating the Chipotle line during lunch rush initially accompanied such audio. Ironically, none of the men in such clips hit all the points of the song — but that’s the point. The internet can’t get enough of the concept of the Man in Finance. They’re wearing suits. Did I say that already? The suits are probably the most important part. They look like they practice good hygiene, go to the gym and don’t live with six roommates. And best of all, they’re on their way to a job. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t 6 foot 5. They’re a Man in Finance — the Patagonia vest can’t come off fast enough.
The original song was created by influencer Megan Boni on her “Girl on Couch” account. It has since gone viral, the original video racking up millions of views, and the audio has since been reused tens of thousands of times in a variety of satirical skits, comedic scenarios and the like. DJs, such as David Guetta, have remixed it, and Boni has since signed a distribution deal with Capitol Records. The simple utterance of “Man in Finance” will prompt Gen Zers and Millennials alike to flawlessly finish the jingle.
This framing of a Man in Finance stands in stark contrast to the recent (now discontinued) characterization of the exact same phenomenon, although dubbed with a much less flattering term: the finance bro. The finance bro, despite having ample overlap with the Man in Finance, was formally framed in popular media as a sleazy, cologne-soaked, overgrown frat boy with more red flags than the CCP.
On the other hand, the image of Man in Finance is endearing. It’s diva, it’s dramatic, it’s sassy and, most of all, it’s absolutely fabulous and fabulously unattainable. (Please prove me wrong. My email is at the bottom of the article.)
The unattainability of the finance man is telling of multiple factors. The idea that someone (regardless of gender) has a stable career, now considered a rarity, is telling. It’s also a self-feeding cycle. The harder it is for anyone to get a job, the more attractive the people who do manage to get it together seem. Hence the newfound comedic toleration, and dare I say appeal, of the formally despised finance bro.
Furthermore, the success behind a career that was once perceived to be a given has now become a lucrative characteristic to set one apart — as seen by the struggles faced by Millennials and Gen Zers in establishing themselves financially in the current turbulent economic environment. People are tired, it’s hard to pay rent and student loans are at an all time high; stability has never been sexier, at least for the struggling younger generations.
The popularity of this trend, I speculate, is also the product of a cultural shift. And a positive one. Some of the sterner folks interpret the satirical “Man in Finance” as mocking the progress of feminism, or see it as a dangerous call to the past, chasing after a man to solve your financial woes. But that’s not the point of the Man in Finance trend. You can still desire traits in a partner without giving up those things yourself.
I don’t view the Man in Finance trend as some backwards call to being dependent on a man; I see it as a powerful exclamation of seemingly superficial choice and preferences that usually is reserved only for men. It’s been acceptable for men to have unattainable, superficial standards for women since the beginning of time, but now it’s the ladies’ turn to crow for a man with a height that only 0.01% of the population has. It’s unattainable and unreasonable, but awareness of the unrealistic ridiculousness makes it harmless.
Anyway, that’s my official analysis of the viral Man in Finance trend. We’ll see what the next societal shift brings for the boys on Wall Street. Will they continue to be objectified with hit tracks on social media? Maybe they’ll revert back to their frat boy, finance bro status; maybe they’ll be replaced by another niche group of men’s professions.
Regardless, viral trends on social media are a fascinating way to look at the undercurrents running through society, and “Man in Finance. Trust fund. 6-5. Blue eyes,” is a perfect example of that. He may not exist outside the online world of Gen Z humor, but one can dream. So delete Tinder, and get yourself to the stock exchange.
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