Last updated on October 16, 2011
How can we reconcile the apparent contradiction between the outpouring of positive emotions caused by Steve Jobs’ death and the Occupy Wall Street movement? What does this say about American attitudes toward big business?
My colleague Ronnie Chatterji speculates on the answer in a News & Observer op-ed:
My conclusion is there is widespread agreement that getting rich in America while creating value for your company and for society is still a great thing, despite worries about resurgent populism and class warfare. Politics, bailouts and budget deficits have not changed this consensus around the nobility of good business.
While we may diverge on the worth we ascribe to certain industries or products and wonder if cozy relationships among the rich and powerful thwart fair competition, Americans do not seem to be questioning that an innovative and entrepreneurial private sector is what makes this country great. So while we clearly expose our blind spots when lionizing or demonizing the American CEO, our response to Jobs’ untimely demise demonstrates that we are as pro-business as ever.
American Attitudes toward Big Business
Last updated on October 16, 2011
How can we reconcile the apparent contradiction between the outpouring of positive emotions caused by Steve Jobs’ death and the Occupy Wall Street movement? What does this say about American attitudes toward big business?
My colleague Ronnie Chatterji speculates on the answer in a News & Observer op-ed:
My conclusion is there is widespread agreement that getting rich in America while creating value for your company and for society is still a great thing, despite worries about resurgent populism and class warfare. Politics, bailouts and budget deficits have not changed this consensus around the nobility of good business.
While we may diverge on the worth we ascribe to certain industries or products and wonder if cozy relationships among the rich and powerful thwart fair competition, Americans do not seem to be questioning that an innovative and entrepreneurial private sector is what makes this country great. So while we clearly expose our blind spots when lionizing or demonizing the American CEO, our response to Jobs’ untimely demise demonstrates that we are as pro-business as ever.
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Published in Commentary and Miscellaneous