Here is Tyler Cowen quoting Matt Yglesias:
I was always struck in college, watching people head off into the field of finance, by the mismatch between the demographics of the folks who’d go be bankers and the stated desire to manage risk. If I’m conjuring up in my head a vision of a prudent risk manager, I’m thinking maybe a mother of two. Someone smart, of course, but also someone who’s cautious. Someone who sees the whole field. Someone who juggles. I’m not thinking “young smart arrogant dude with limited practical experience and a burning desire to get ahead.” That to me sounds more like a rogue trader!
Here is the whole Yglesias post, which doesn’t add too much.
MY metaphor of choice is action movie heroes.
The ultimate action hero doesn’t fear anything. You can torture him, you can threaten him, you can do what you like and he won’t give you the nuclear codes no matter what! He is, dare I say, a bit of a rogue.
But suddenly the evil villain cackles ominously and, oh look! From behind a secret door comes the buxom female lead our hero has been pillaging for the last few days and may or may not have feelings for despite his gruff exterior! And she’s precariously perched above a shark tank! I thought he told her to stay by the beach with the boat and wait until midnight!?
Gasp! He’s been had! And the nuclear codes are given up.
Mothers of two aren’t the only people with something to lose. Even rogues have weaknesses that can bring them into line.
Not Unreasonable 