Liquidated uses ethnographic research, traditionally used to study distant societies, to dissect the culture of high finance on New York's famous Wall Street. Through close observation of the daily lives of the bankers working there, and the beliefs, rituals, and timeframes that define them, Karen Ho uncovers a distinct culture and value system which, she argues, is the ultimate cause of the recent financial crises. Above all, Wall Street culture values liquidity, the ability to convert everything into a commodity that can be bought or sold, with the aim of creating profit for shareholders, often at the expense of long-term growth and security.