Middle Class Guilt Attack? Yuppies and Food Stamps, Part 2

Our recent post on yuppies and food stamps generated a lot of lively discussion, both on and off-line. My own first reaction to my colleague Sara’s question of whether yuppies should take food stamps was a resounding “no” coupled with a feeling of indignation. But when I started asking around, I found that lots of smart people had a wide range of views on the subject. A British friend surprised me by saying: “Oh, that’s just your middle class guilt. You should examine it.” Living through a crisis has the fortunate byproduct of getting all of us to ask ourselves questions and consider why we think the way we do. So examine it I will…

The Guilt of Madoff

It appears that Madoff is going to jail, and we can practically hear the shouts of joy from the rooftops of Manhattan. Madoff, with his silvery coiffure and elegant suits, looks like a man who has enjoyed exquisite pleasures and lived a life of unimaginable indulgence. He is the poster child of greed, the very portrait of the monster who smiles suavely while wreaking havoc.

The country may experience catharsis while witnessing his demise and ultimate incarceration, and that is an important thing. We may need a symbol on which to focus our profound disgust at the excesses that have been so ruinous to our economy…