More good stuff from David Brooks on Occupy Wall Street. In his piece,
The Great Restoration, Brooks focuses on the Americans who are not protesting but who are, nonetheless, seeking to "restore the moral norms that undergird our economic system." He mentions three such norms that are undergoing overhaul.
The first norm is that you shouldn't spend more than you take in. After an explosion of debt over the past few decades, Americans are now reacting strongly against the debt culture.
Second, Americans are trying to re-establish the link between effort and reward. This was the link that was severed on Wall Street, where so many made so much for work that served no productive purpose. This was the link that was frayed by the bailouts, when people who broke the rules still got rewarded.
The third norm is that loyalty matters. A few years ago there was a celebration of Free Agent Nation. But now most people, even most young people, would rather work long-term for one company than move around in search of freedom and opportunity.
There is more good stuff in Brook's essay...take a look!
