A brass balance holds a green jelly and white paper crown against lavender.

Original artwork, not a still

Jim Young

There’s an important phrase that we use here, and think it’s time that you all learned it. Act as if. You understand what that means? Act as if you are the fucking President of this firm. Act as if you got a 9″ cock. Okay? Act as if.

— Boiler Room  ·  2000

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker coaches listeners to behave as though they already have status and sexual prowess: presidential authority and a crude boast of anatomy alike. Confidence is presented as something to perform first, before it is earned. The tone is aggressive, swaggering and deliberately vulgar.

Context reviewed

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