As an anonymous participant in financial markets, I never had to weigh the social consequences of my actions…. I felt justified in ignoring them on the grounds that I was playing by the rules.

Soros is reflecting on the moral insulation that comes with being a small, faceless actor inside vast financial systems. When trading is framed as “playing by the rules,” responsibility is easily shifted from the individual to the institution: if the rules permit an action, the actor feels absolved of its broader effects. The quote highlights a tension central to modern capitalism—markets can reward behavior that is privately rational yet socially harmful, while anonymity and complexity diffuse accountability. Soros’s phrasing suggests a later self-critique: legality and rule-following are not the same as ethical justification, especially when market actions can have large downstream consequences.