2014-01-15
Explanation
The Joke
A girl scout (or similar youth organization member) knocks on a door and announces: "Come back! We'''ll give you a credit card! You'''d like to purchase a variable rate -- er, an adjustable rate mortgage!" The homeowner reacts with alarm ("Oh God!"). The scout'''s companions urge her on: "Don'''t give up! We'''ll need camping -- you'''ve got to convince fiscally large --" The scout then demonstrates her financial knowledge: "I know how to calculate compound interest!" and "I have a top quartile credit rating!" A couple watches from inside and the man asks, "Wow, where'''d you learn that?" A woman responds: "Our scouting is a lot different in New York."
The Humor
The comic takes the familiar trope of girl scouts going door to door selling cookies and replaces it with an absurd New York City twist: instead of selling Thin Mints, these scouts are aggressively pitching complex financial products like adjustable rate mortgages and credit cards. The scouts have been trained not in wilderness survival and cookie sales, but in high-pressure financial sales tactics. The joke plays on the stereotype that New York City is so intensely focused on finance and commerce that even wholesome childhood activities like scouting become exercises in aggressive Wall Street-style salesmanship. The homeowner'''s terrified reaction ("Oh God!") mirrors how many adults feel when confronted by actual aggressive financial salespeople, adding another layer of humor.
References
Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) were a major factor in the 2007-2008 financial crisis, as many homeowners found themselves unable to make payments when interest rates rose. The comic'''s humor resonates with post-financial-crisis anxieties about predatory lending practices. Girl Scout cookie sales are a well-known American tradition where young girls go door-to-door selling cookies as a fundraiser.