There’s something deeply tribal about the below image of Mitt Romney with his buddies at Bain Capital in 1984. It’s more than just an expression of joy at making money: it’s the glee of spiking a football before the losers you have outmaneuvered and defeated.
Notice how they’re holding up their dollar bills. It’s as if they’ve been seized in combat, in a zero-sum game, from the pockets of clueless others.
The dollars are middle fingers. The gesture is hostile. Freud would have a field day with this image.
Look.
Not a fan of Romney, but I think you’re reading a bit much into this.