On professionals doing the wrong thing...

I was reading the article in New York Times the other day, on the confessions from a professional reporter in financial news no less, of how he got drawn into his own personal credit crisis.

I don't know how the writer/reporter had meant this to be received by the readers. I, for one, am somewhat puzzled. Does the reporter want sympathy? Does he want to share others pain, by shouldering some personal responsibility in contributing to this very messy credit crisis in the nation. Does he intend to express his understanding in how good people do bad things, as he's on fully display?

I perhaps feel a fix of all the above for this reporter. But the least I feel for him is sympathy. He, and his wife, knew full well the consequences. They just didn't want to face the music, and own up their action.

Surely everyone wants to feel rich. Heck, everyone wants to be rich. I want that too, but I simply couldn't let myself loose like that. Millions of responsible Americans didn't either. If one spends beyond one's means, eventually it'll turn ugly. How could a financial news reporter have claimed innocence is quite beyond me. Or, maybe he didn't; but the article surely came across like that. Considering that he still has a job that pays him $120k a year, he's most lucky, compared to those who lose both incomes in the household.