Machine Mentality

As an actuary, you are indoctrinated with the opinion that South Africa has the best insurance and banking industry in the world and that FNB is at the top of that list, having been voted most innovative bank in the world. <br> So imagine my dismay upon finding that they operate on a completely impersonal basis, declining and granting loans based on what the computer spits out. <br> <br> Take me, for example:<br> Having graduated from wits with an Actuarial Science degree, and only having sporadic income whilst interviewing for different positions, albeit reasonably generous amounts of income, I requested a loan from FNB to pay for airfare so I could fly to Cape Town for the final round of interviews before a possible offer could be made. Of course I insisted on speaking to a consultant because I didn't have a steady income or employment contract, and so I might need to do some convincing and I was sure FNB would then see the benefits that could be had by granting me a short term loan for a small amount. But Alas! I wasn't even afforded that embarrassing opportunity. The \consultant"simply read from the screen that I had a student account and thus some bureaucratic policy dictated \""do not give\""<br> """