how Iceland became a nation of vintage synthesizer enthusiasts

Right after a day-long Iceland pop kick, I came across this riveting Vanity Fair article about Iceland's financial collapse, how it was being stretched ridiculously out of shape by hubris and The Market, offering this bit of insight into how it got there, starting with privatizing the fishing economy.

Back away from the Icelandic economy and you can’t help but notice something really strange about it: the people have cultivated themselves to the point where they are unsuited for the work available to them. All these exquisitely schooled, sophisticated people, each and every one of whom feels special, are presented with two mainly horrible ways to earn a living: trawler fishing and aluminum smelting. There are, of course, a few jobs in Iceland that any refined, educated person might like to do. Certifying the nonexistence of elves, for instance. (“This will take at least six months—it can be very tricky.”) But not nearly so many as the place needs, given its talent for turning cod into Ph.D.’s. At the dawn of the 21st century, Icelanders were still waiting for some task more suited to their filigreed minds to turn up inside their economy so they might do it.

Enter investment banking.