At the beginning of every recession, there are people who see the downturn as an occasion for moral revival: Americans will learn to live without material extravagances. They’ll simplify their lives. They’ll rediscover what really matters: home, friends and family.
But recessions are about more than material deprivation. They’re also about fear and diminished expectations. The cultural consequences of recessions are rarely uplifting.
Full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/opinion/18brooks.html?_r=1&ref=patrick.net&oref=slogin
