The ever-enlightening Peggy Noonan writes in today’s Wall St. Journal opinion page with some predictions for the future—predictions that we are on the precipice of a major restructuring of American society. Many prognosticators, quietly or publicly, predict unrest or even a complete disintegration of this once-great nation driven by insane and short-sighted economic policies implemented the previous and current Presidential administrations. Noonan, however, sees something much less dramatic on the horizon.
This economic downturn may serve as a sort of reset, leading people to evaluate their lives and—perhaps—abandon their hectic, light-speed, over-stimulated lives for a more simple, old-fashioned existence. It’s an interesting thought, and while I doubt it’ll actually happen any time soon it’s still a somewhat pleasant thought. We so often bury ourselves in technology and convenience and yet feel so unfulfilled. We work longer and longer hours to pay for all of it, sacrificing family and human connection. Maybe a reset and refocusing on simple, old-fashioned values would do us some good.
I certainly don’t wish a repeat of the Great Depression on our country, although the continual increase in federal spending is getting more and more likely to land us there by the week, but it is certainly possible that some good will come out of this difficult time.
