Ironically, any turning inward will be the natural result of forces beyond our control. “Control” is the operable word here.
Since WWII, around the world, especially in the first world, people have become caught up in the illusion that they really control things that are not in their control. Be it economics, or the weather, or what all else, it is an arrogance that begs for comeuppance.
In truth, the nations of the world, the US government, multinational and national corporations, and we as a people, have always had the choice to either have a Tower of Babel approach to life, or to keep some sense of humbleness about us when faced with forces beyond our control.
Our current economic situation is like flying in an aircraft at altitude when the fuel runs out. Right now, Obama is the pilot, but it doesn’t really matter who is the pilot. He can try every stunt and trick in the book, but the plane has to return to Earth.
There is no effort involved here. The plane will return to Earth, no matter if he promises us the Moon and the stars that he will somehow, someway, keep the plane flying. And for our part, as passengers, we may absolutely, truly want that plane to continue on its course, but it doesn’t matter.
If we are very fortunate, the landing will be more like a glide than a crash, and yet the situation remains: we are out of fuel.
So once we have landed, economically, there really is no choice but to renounce the national debt, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Again, it’s not our choice. If we were in control, or could in any way do what we wanted to do, we wouldn’t do that.
But it’s not left up to us.
The insanity of a consumer driven society is being revealed in this "crisis." We simply cannot continue spending our way to prosperity and the government spending machine must be turned way down. Wealth preservation should be paramount in every American's mind. Not the desire for the latest Chinese consumer goods and hedonistic lifestyle.
Unfortunately, I doubt my vision is palatable to most Americans.