Looking back, I think society completely missed the point of Wolf of Wall Street.
People idolized Jordan Belfort as the embodiment of success. The money, the yachts, the parties, the women, the lifestyle.
What I see now is a man who lied, cheated, stole, manipulated people, abused drugs, destroyed his marriage, betrayed his friends, became an informant, and ended up in prison.
Jordan sacrificed everything meaningful for money. His integrity. His relationships. His loyalty. Even his freedom.
And yet, even after prison, people still wanted to learn from him how to get rich.
And maybe that was the point.
Maybe the movie was really questioning why we admire people like him.
Every day on social media, scammers flaunt the cars, jets, watches, and mansions. Then sooner or later you see their mugshot.
Jordan is right. Thereโs no nobility in poverty. But there is no virtue in wealth acquired through fraud, exploitation, and deception either.
Because in the end, you still end up losing everything you really wanted. Love, respect, adoration, acceptance and ultimately, your freedom.