Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street is a visceral exploration of greed, ambition, and excess, told through the life of Jordan Belfort. At first glance, the film’s central character and his unapologetic quotes seem to embody the very antithesis of virtue. Lines like “Greed is good” and “Money doesn’t just buy you a better life—it makes you a better person” reflect a life untethered from any moral grounding, driven by self-gratification and material gain.
But is there more beneath the surface? Could even these disordered sentiments contain echoes of virtue—seeds of something good, albeit misdirected? From a theological perspective, every human heart, even one corrupted by sin, retains a longing for truth, beauty, and goodness. It’s worth examining whether these quotes reflect a distorted pursuit of virtues that, when properly ordered, could lead to deeper fulfillment.
The Longing for Meaning and Happiness
One of the most striking quotes from Belfort is:
“The most important thing in life is to be happy. And if you’re not happy, change something.”
On the surface, this reflects an individualistic pursuit of happiness—a desire to shape life around personal satisfaction. But deeper still, this longing for happiness is universal and profoundly human. It reflects what St. Augustine observed when he wrote, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Belfort’s hedonistic approach to happiness is misdirected, chasing fleeting pleasures rather than enduring joy. But it hints at the truth: we are made for transformation. If Belfort’s “change something” were directed toward conversion and self-reflection, it could lead to a life centered on genuine happiness—one found in virtue and communion with God.
The Courage to Act
Another memorable line captures Belfort’s audacity:
“I don’t know what the [expletive] I’m doing, but I’m doing it really well.”
This mix of confidence and self-awareness reveals a certain courage to act even in uncertainty. While Belfort’s recklessness leads to disastrous outcomes, his boldness highlights a fundamental truth: human beings are made to take risks and face challenges. In a properly ordered life, this courage would resemble the virtue of fortitude, the strength to persevere in doing what is right even in the face of obstacles.
When guided by truth and a desire to serve others, this same boldness could inspire meaningful action. Belfort’s misplaced confidence reminds us that courage, untethered from wisdom and humility, can lead to chaos—but when grounded in virtue, it becomes a powerful force for good.
The Power of Vision
Belfort’s insight into persuasion and confidence comes across in this statement:
“The best way to get something done is to tell people you’ve already done it.”
This statement, while manipulative, hints at the importance of vision and persuasion. Belfort recognizes that people are inspired by confidence and the ability to articulate possibilities. His distorted approach, grounded in deceit, reveals the danger of prioritizing appearances over substance. Yet the deeper insight remains: humans are moved by stories of hope and possibility.
In its proper form, this inclination could resemble the virtue of leadership—a willingness to guide others toward a shared goal rooted in truth. Great leaders inspire trust, not by pretending to be something they are not, but by embodying integrity and offering a vision of what is possible when people work together for a noble cause.
A Restless Search for Virtue
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of Belfort’s character is his restless energy—the relentless drive to achieve, to conquer, to excel. This sentiment is reflected in his statement:
“Money doesn’t just buy you a better life—it makes you a better person.”
On the surface, this is deeply flawed. It equates material wealth with moral superiority, reflecting a disordered prioritization of worldly success. Yet beneath this statement lies an echo of a human longing for growth and transformation. Belfort’s desire to become “better” speaks to the universal drive for self-improvement.
Christian theology teaches that true self-improvement is not achieved through wealth but through grace and the pursuit of virtue. Properly oriented, this desire could lead to profound acts of service and love. Material wealth, at best, becomes a tool for the good, but it is never the source of moral excellence.
Redeeming the Seeds
What The Wolf of Wall Street ultimately offers is a cautionary tale about disordered desires. Jordan Belfort’s quotes reflect a longing for fulfillment, self-improvement, and happiness, but they seek these goods in the wrong places. Yet these same desires, when properly ordered, can lead to a life of virtue.
The Christian tradition teaches that even in sin, humanity retains traces of its divine origin. We are made in the image of God, and our deepest longings point us toward Him, even when they are distorted by sin. Belfort’s ambition could be reoriented toward building others up. His courage could lead him to stand for truth. His pursuit of happiness could open him to the enduring joy found in love of God and neighbor.
In every human heart, no matter how broken, there are seeds of virtue waiting to grow. The Wolf of Wall Street challenges us to ask: What are we ordering our lives toward? What drives our ambition? And are we willing to reorder our desires to align with the ultimate good—the God who alone can satisfy our restless hearts?
Source
Scorsese, M. (Director). (2013). The Wolf of Wall Street [Film]. Paramount Pictures.
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