It strikes me that the real Reagan "revolution" is the (re)birth of a distorted sense of freedom. People believe now, more so than they did pre-Reagan, that the well being of their neighbors and fellow citizens are secondary goods to be achieved only after individual success (usually defined in pecuniary terms). To say another way, "we would be free to do as we see fit because no one knows my needs better than me -- just you and your laws, leave me alone" This makes a good deal of sense if you have financial planners and stock options and can afford to risk capital (though it is less of a risk when you remove oversight), but not so much sense if you live paycheck to paycheck. It seems to me that the growth in casinos and lotteries is an outgrowth of people's (silent, perhaps unconscious recognition) that rish is the only way to go because then you are truly "free" in this distorted Gordon Gecko sense. And finally, short of winning big, people still try to act like they are free (consume, consume, consume) as we can see the unbelievable rise in consumer debt. sorry to ramble.
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