What country does he live in?  Although the downward spirals may not be quite as steep,  to build up our “sound economic values”  is a good way to talk ourselves into a complacent slumber,  thinking ourselves invincible.  Another apt description of what Empires think like.

“Human nature, in no form of it, could ever bear prosperity,” John Adams wrote in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, warning against the coming corruption of his country.

Yet despite its amazing wealth, the United States has generally remained immune to this cycle. American living standards surpassed European living standards as early as 1740. But in the U.S., affluence did not lead to indulgence and decline.

That’s because despite the country’s notorious materialism, there has always been a countervailing stream of sound economic values.

Op-Ed Columnist – The Next Culture War – NYTimes.com

Now,  to Brook’s credit (he IS a good writer  and thinker),  he correctly identifies the “distractions” of the right; 

Over the past few years, however, there clearly has been an erosion in the country’s financial values. This erosion has happened at a time when the country’s cultural monitors were busy with other things. They were off fighting a culture war about prayer in schools, “Piss Christ” and the theory of evolution. They were arguing about sex and the separation of church and state, oblivious to the large erosion of economic values happening under their feet.

The right today is much less about Protestant work ethic and restraint and more about worship of the empire and the “invisible hand” as a surrogate for God’s favor