Shame is built into us all from an early age to create compliance…

If you don’t do this you will be excluded, heck I even use it with my little dude who finds himself on his naughty step every now and then.

The trouble is that shame is easily amplified by those in power to make you conform at any age.

In this current world of the FCA, shame is used as a threat.

Regardless of your motives, your experience or even your skill in the financial planning craft you will fit in and comply with our regime or we will expose you.

This is the Scandinavian law of Jante….

You’re not to think you are anything special.
You’re not to think you are as good as we are.
You’re not to think you are smarter than we are.
You’re not to convince yourself that you are better than we are.
You’re not to think you know more than we do.
You’re not to think you are more important than we are.
You’re not to think you are good at anything.
You’re not to laugh at us.
You’re not to think anyone cares about you.
You’re not to think you can teach us anything.

Lastly, here is the final part Jantes law… the one that is wielded with great efficacy by the FCA…

Perhaps you think we don’t know a few things about you?

Sound familiar?

Well let’s look at who should be feeling some shame here a second…

The trusted financial steward who crafts and communicates plans to help families achieve financial security?

Or a regime which costs those stewards over 25% of their turnover (http://stevehagues.co.uk/fca-costs-open-letter-to-andrew-tyrie-head-of-the-treasury-select-committee/ ) and then wastes £43 MILLION giving away a few hundred thousand plans through the MAS quango?