VIRTUE SIGNALLING: OVERCOMPENSATION FOR HYPOCRISY? There was something smug and self-righteous about the “Fearless Girl” statute (seen here with notorious douchenozzle Bill DiBlasio) meant to inspire women to take an adversarial stance to Wall Street. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but now I know what it was. Adweek reports in a story headlined “Financial Firm Behind ‘Fearless Girl’ Will Pay $5 Million for Allegedly Underpaying Women and Minorities“:

State Street Corp., parent company of the investment firm behind Wall Street’s iconic Fearless Girl statue, today agreed to pay a combined $5 million to more than 300 women and 15 black employees who were paid less than their white, male counterparts, according to a federal audit.

While State Street denied the claims, but coughed up approximately $4.5 million in back pay and $500,000 in interest. I suppose what annoys me the most is the gullibility of people who so desperately want their iconography to represent some reality. It quickly became the financial world’s most iconic symbol of gender equality and won 18 honors at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, including four Grand Prix top honors.

“Don’t do as I do, do as I say.”