ehissource.
IfthemeetingatArholmahadbeenaset-up,thenLindbergcouldnothaveplayedhisrolebetter.Butthemeetinghadtohavehappenedbychance.
LindbergcouldhavehadnonotionoftheextentofBlomkvist’scontemptforpeoplelikeWennerstr?m.Forallthat,afteryearsofstudy,hewasprivatelyconvincedthattherewasnotasinglebankdirectororcelebritycorporateexecutivewhowasn’talsoacretin.
BlomkvisthadneverheardofLisbethSalanderandwashappilyinnocentofherreportdeliveredearlierthatday,buthadhelistenedtoithewouldhavenoddedinagreementwhenshespokeofhisloathingforbeancounters,sayingthatitwasnotamanifestationofhisleft-wingpoliticalradicalism.Mikaelwasnotuninterestedinpolitics,buthewasextremelyscepticalofpolitical“isms.”Hehadvotedonlyonceinaparliamentaryelection—in1982—andthenhehadhesitantlyplumpedfortheSocialDemocrats,therebeingnothinginhisimaginationworsethanthreeyearsmorewithG?staBohmanasfinanceministerandThorbj?rnF?lldinasprimeminister.SohehadvotedforOlofPalme,andgotinsteadtheassassinationofhisprimeministerplustheBoforsscandalandEbbeCarlsson.
Hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournalistswasbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasasplainasmorality.Theequationwassimple.Abankdirectorwhoblowsmillionsonfoolhardyspeculationsshouldnotkeephisjob.Amanagingdirectorwhoplaysshellpanygamesshoulddotime.Aslumlandlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetableforaone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry.
Thejobofthefinancialjournalistwastoexamihesharkswhocreatedinterestcrisesandspeculatedawaythesavingsofsmallinvestors,toscrutinisepanyboardswiththesamemercilesszealwithwhichpoliticalreporterspursuethetinieststepsoutoflineofministersandmembersofParliament.Hecouldnotforthelifeofhimunderstandwhysomanyinfluentialfinancialreporterstreatedmediocrefinancialwhelpslikerockstars.
Theserecalcitrantviewshadtimeaftertimebroughthimintoconflictwithhispeers.B,forone,wasgoingtobeanenemyforlife.HistakingonaroleofsocialcritichadactuallytransformedhimintoapricklyguestonTVsofas—hewasalwa