Gary Stevenson: The Waterstones Interview

Growing up in the shadow of Canary Wharf’s towers, Gary Stevenson always yearned for more. In an eye-opening conversation we learn how a simple card game changed his life and how a nose for how the world turns combined with a skill for maths led him to become the most successful trader in one of the world’s largest banks. Featuring larger than life characters we discuss why making millions from wealth inequality led to him leaving the obscene bonuses behind, in an attempt to alert people to a dangerously broken system. This is The Trading Game: bit.ly/49UGrjT
@garyseconomics
F O L L O W U S
TWITTER --} / waterstones
INSTAGRAM --} / waterstones
FACEBOOK --} / waterstones
TIKTOK --} / waterstones
PODCAST --} www.waterstones.com/podcast

[@katejacobs5491]

I think Gary is great, I’ve been watching his KZbin videos for some time. He is a prophet, he knows the outcome and doing me a great favour by explaining how the system work. He’s generous and he cares. I’m a devoted follower and have recommended his KZbin videos and now his book to everyone I know. I’m 71 and solvent but I care about this.

[@juliewake4585]

I’d like to hope that he’s a prophet, inasmuch as what he is saying will come true and what he is arguing will be followed by the people who have all the power.

[@jhdb1236]

Likewise!

[@WilliamAhlert]

Gary is genuinely a great speaker and incredibly important to the UK in 2024. It is essential we keep amplifying his message!

[@lynclarke6184]

Have ordered 2 of your books from Amazon, one for me and one for my son. Hope you have millions of sales.

[@TheWelshLlama]

I did the same, but one for me and one for my dad!

[@barrieroberts75]

​@TheWelshLlama I hope you're not Lyn Clarke,s son 😅

[@lynclarke6184]

@@barrieroberts75 🤪

[@juliewake4585]

I’m hoping that it will come out in paperback at some stage, not cost-wise but because I shears have difficulty holding it up when I’m reading it!

[@neenaj365]

Multi talented guy. Maths genius, author and actually good at reading it. This man would never have been out of work no matter what. Great to see how grounded he is and the great ethos/common sense.

[@GrahamCallison]

Saw Gary speak on Monday before the book launched. Honestly my absolute hero, selling no BS while still giving people hope ❤

[@51gan788]

Seeing Gary talk live tonight. Can't wait

[@juliewake4585]

Where? I’d like to think that he will get out of London and visit those of us in the provinces.

[@AJ-hi9fd]

I’ve just bought Gary’s book, as I’ve followed his KZbin channel for a while now. I’ve got the book for my husband as I’m carefully trying to make him realise that we are in a period of financial collapse and that measures will need to be taken to secure our wealth. I’ve been banging on about this for a while. now, and I have noticed my husband is taking the right action ie clearing all outstanding debt etc and keeping money out of the banking system, but he won’t admit to what I know is going on.

[@jay_ta708]

I've received my Pre-order of The Trading Game yesterday. Began to read it. Nonetheless, brilliant interview and match up Waterstones and Gary! Glad Waterstones is supporting you Gary.

[@JuliusFawcett]

It's already collapsed, there is no saving it, we need to manage our economics in a very different way. Food, water, shelter for everyone, now,

[@goych]

Amen fella, I totally agree, we are very slow to this, it’s been happening and now it’s happened I include myself in this when I say we must acknowledge there is no going back to how it was and there really is no pretending anymore

[@andrewharris3900]

It’s like no one has tried Socialism before, what could possibly go wrong.

[@davelab6]

We had socialism since the Great Depression. Question is, who benefits from it, mega rich or everyone else

[@deepinmind83]

@@andrewharris3900We have socialism in the country right now. All the services paid for by your taxes are democratic socialism ideas. The difference is, in communism the government controls the companies in the name of THE PEOPLE. What most "socialists" are proposing is the workers own and run the business and get the profit directly. This already exists in multiple worker owned companies that have been successful for years. Look up The Mondragon Corporation in Spain. Been worker owned and run since 1956. Very successful. I'm sure it has issues too, but that's why we keep trying to evolve the way our system works, instead of sticking to the same system that is draining our pockets, because the ones who benefit from it tell us it is great, and it's our fault we are poor and uneducated with little opportunity. It's sad that people want to keep it this way against our own interests

[@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384]

What a great interview! Loved it Waterstones!

[@beatsyndrom]

This needs to be a movie. The story line is incredibly captivating. As an opposition to “wolf of Wall Street” it could be called “the lamb of Canary Wharf”….

[@goych]

I could care less I need to be able to eat If your only take is that this could make a good movie you’re clearly having a good life and are shuelded well from what’s coming Because believe me the world is about to go tits up fella

[@beatsyndrom]

@@goych my profile pic is sending out the wrong message, I assume. I’m worse off than you could possibly imagine.

[@goych]

@@beatsyndrom ha ha ha was not expecting that response! Join the club and yes I can imagine, this is a nightmare that just keeps giving! Strangely my mental heath has never been better! I think I’m waaaaay more conscious of all this shit than I used to be

[@juliewake4585]

@@goychdon’t you think a movie would introduce Gary too much more of the world?

[@goych]

@@juliewake4585 I don’t think that many folk give a shit fella. It’s up to us to spread this message

[@terrycasey1340]

May be dudes we need to order our local libraries up and down the land to have a copy of this book ….. and the university libraries an all

[@dh7314]

I urge everyone to read this book, it’s fabulous. But even better is the audiobook because his accent really adds to the authenticity. Wonderful stuff Gary, thanks

[@getreal7964]

Change or Suffer, choice is ours but we need to act NOW !

[@TheSlinkyinky]

Gary is my star 🌟 hero by pointing out the elephant in the room. Massive, massive wealth inequality!!!!! Not many speak about this elephant in the room. Thank you Gary ❤🎉

[@lynnhickinbotham3784]

Good luck with the book hopefully people with start demanding there economic rights and and fight against this inequality

[@pierremartini2229]

Keep up the good work Gary. bless you.

[@laurietaylor8982]

Big ❤ Gary…understanding greed. This fossil-fuelled/capitalist/industrial civilisation is now in its collapse phase. And it is unstoppable. It is what it is…in some ways it’s organic and evolutionary. But, hey, let’s be kind to each other 😊 as it all becomes more catastrophic.

[@user-bt8cz9nv4x]

I just borrowed the book from my library! A bit too much profanity for me but I get your point! How did you ever manage to get out of that morass and still remain sane is beyond me! You must be a really strong mental guy! 👏👏

[@jonminton1878]

I'm over half way through the audiobook. It's much more filmic than I was expecting. Like a combination of a Beautiful Mind, The Big Short, the Spirit Level and a Guy Ritchie flick!

[@WatchloverPJ]

I bought his book a week ago March 2024. It's a compelling read. Thank you, Gary. Someone has taken it from my office. I don't want to say it's been stolen. I was just on the last lap of the book annoying I don't know how it ended yet. I am gonna have to go get another one. However, this guy is a prophet and should give his life to Jesus and he is absolutely loved unconditionally. A little too many expletives in the book but a brilliant understanding of what happens behind the scenes. He is honest and brilliant and I love his passion to seek to bring equality and show that money is not everything.......

[@auntsally7790]

Buying back happiness is so true and what people forget is there is always a price to everything.

[@CMBell1985]

I am nearly finished listening to his audio book version. So glad he voiced it himself as it has a raw genuineness to it. His anger, his humour, his frustration comes across really well. Ive got business studies students adding it to their reading lists as theres so much in this about the world of work, about complex people, risk and reward.. and what reward actually is.

[@pohouse209]

Great book Gary. I went also into banking from a comprehensive school background with no connections. It is hard to get in but strangely as they are essentially all conformists (even in the way they do the hedonistic stuff), if you are streetwise and can use your individuality it is one of the last few places where a normal person can earn proper money. This was almost painful in its familiarity to read and I love how you tell people how hard it is to get out. Really no matter what these guys earn they are owned and they know it. Kind of pathetic despite the millions they have - in my opinion the average tradesman (plumber etc) has more dignity then the MDs on these trading floors - they are all essentially kind of impotent and unmanly and as a woman on the trading floor, I found them repulsive and ridiculous. Gary glad you went in, got paid and got out, that's a good trade!

[@user-le7xs5mq4y]

Gary Well done! You keep going . I think you should appeal to the rich to check themselves against the world around them. They love the system more than anyone. Start a 10,000000 + club you only need one or two to care enough to join for heads to turn and ears to open . Love to help .

[@zombiehunter170]

reading the book now, really interesting good book

[@WatchloverPJ]

I found your book, I love your writing I finished it. Amazing.

[@Beartrap208]

Ordered the book can’t wait to read it 🙏

[@MrJohnQCitizen]

It's already on Spotify. Free if you subscribe

[@capcomgenius3974]

Let me know when the film is coming out!!

[@gartgreenside3657]

Have you ever interview Helen Joyce of Kathleen Stock?

[@clungebucket23]

Does the book contain any viable, practical solutions to address inequality?

[@danprice447]

Hi Clunge Bucket - the book not so much, Gary says it is more of a memoir but he is an advocate for introducing a wealth tax on people with does than £10million in assets.

[@OfMaceAndMen]

The practical solutions are largely on his YT, as the comment before said - books a memoir, which gary's said before is largely to drive eyes and traffic to his YT in order to drum up public support for the ideas that will help

[@AntiGrowthAlliance]

It's all about mindset shift, and Gary is achieving just that with his astute understanding and emotional maturity. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmKtpaakmslpg7M

[@Roberta80]

"Does the book contain any viable, practical solutions to address inequality?" I get the impression from the book & YT videos that he doesn't want to get into politics, so why expect political solutions? That's the politician's job. What he offers is a very insightful analysis of a kind that you'd need to be a trained economist/trader to offer, and he's backed that up with all the City stuff, unlike most econs.

[@clungebucket23]

@@Roberta80 politicians make decisions and policies based advice from economists... Trouble is, based on the current state of the economy and all the forecasts and predictions made by Gary over the last two years, it's clear that better advice is required that addresses increasing inequality... Maybe I'm under the misapprehension that if Gary can identify the problems and what caused them... It follows that he should know what effects would result from different conditions leading up to a given scenario.

[@karlkerr7348]

If Garys future is to promote his inequality message may be he should create either a political party or pressure/campaign group?

[@user-wh6vw3xb9j]

If enough people join me , we can change things..... nobody can make the impact required alone!

[@davestevenson9080]

Gary is great, his books belong in a better place than Waterstones. Utterly captured company

[@TheBurdenOfHope]

Gary is a beacon of hope in a world full of shit and sludge

[@idokwatcher2062]

Read the book last night. Great book. Pessimistic though, there's nothing to be done, people couldn't even wear masks to protect each other and we expect these same people to unite to demand change, it's not happening, it's devastating :\

[@cptsanti]

Got to focus on what/who you can genuinely effect. It all starts with yourself first, be the change you want to see -- Gary is providing vital knowledge and information for us to use, we can do this!

[@dewinmoonl]

San Francisco just had some good voting results, not hampered by party lines and rhetorics. It can work

[@davestevenson9080]

Hello I didn't wear a mask, get any injectables or stay home. I disobeyed all the system instructions, yet here you are blaming me even though you are the one that blindly follows the systems instructions...

[@idokwatcher2062]

Exhibit A everyone.

[@davestevenson9080]

enjoy your boosters@@idokwatcher2062

[@raddimusmcchoyber3362]

Great final question. Gary is absolutely brilliant, but of course he has weakness. 2 of them are: 1. What one review called "moments of almost comical self-importance". These come through in the book, every interview and most of his own videos. 2. That blooming subtitle for his book. Which is why this was such a great question. The book is clearly subtitled that way to suggest a certain message about it's content to potential readers. But, excellent as the book is, very little of it could be fairly classed as "A Confession". I don't think Gary has much of a "confessor" in him, let alone any kind of self-flagellation.

[@heaa8617]

The opposite is true for me. He is full of humility; he doesn't have to bother to put himself on the line, to get slammed, hated, attacked. But because it is so obvious he has experienced the real ego and close to evil inequality of Greed and experienced a childhood of poverty, he is doing what he says he's doing, activating against this now. So he has to describe his journey and why he now abhors the system.

[@Roberta80]

"What one review called "moments of almost comical self-importance". I don't see that. You need a fair old ego to survive in the trading world and there's no doubt he has that, but real self-importance for someone who could have been a master of the universe, Gekko-type scumbag would have been to have been just that. So why didn't he?

[@granitesevan6243]

If you think this book is important and you want it to be read widely, don't exclusively put it out on hardback for £20 (I'm not buying any book digitally)

[@tonychorley4936]

Books often come out in hardback first, then the paperback follows.

[@granitesevan6243]

@@tonychorley4936 So what? If you're smart you pressure your publisher to release on paperback to reach the widest audience

[@AJ-hi9fd]

The price will reduce eventually, or pick it up second hand on eBay or WOB.

[@juliewake4585]

I never buy books digitally either and am hoping it will come out in paperback at some stage.

[@chopeda5822]

Fudelism let's goooo

[@history129]

영국인임? 그만 나왔으면 좋겠슴...낸테 별 필요가 없어서 😊

[@TheSa7777]

Bro is he coked up

[@mrjelfs3705]

I've thought this every video I've watched of him: he'd have been immersed in the snow world as a trader ❄️

[@tonyaldridge8917]

sadge

[@barrieroberts75]

​@@mrjelfs3705you obviously speak from experience,

[@51gan788]

Nah he's just got a nervous twitchy manner

[@davelab6]

Seems more like ADHD and nerves to me

[@davidc4408]

Who cares he was some poor kid. Get over it. University and self motivation is open to all. Also his networth is not that much. Less than $5 million

[@user-bt8cz9nv4x]

What’s having $5 million got to do with it? Where did you get that number? How about we all expose are net worths???

[@hjyryui]

probably one of the stupidest comments i've read in my life

[@granitesevan6243]

If you don't care, then don't complain when life becomes increasingly unpleasant around you. Hopefully a university education and oodles of self motivation help you find a way to the front of the queue (although I seriously doubt it will)

[@davidc4408]

@@granitesevan6243 brainwashed into thinking you need work for someone after university.

[@megm.c4026]

you're not very clever are you?