Paying for your sins: Economic and Spiritual values in America Today

The following entry is a response to the reading "Value-Free" written by John B. Judis.  The selection appears in the reading collection The Changing World of Work compiled by Marjorie Ford.

The economy of the United States is constantly changing along with the thoughts of what is morally or ethically wrong to participate in.  The spiritual values of American citizens are vastly different than what they were 100 years ago or even 60 years ago.

I interpret a main change of American thinking is what is right and what is wrong not only spiritually, but economically. The views on sex, love, family, and religion have all changed over the past 60 years or so.  People began to think that they should just have fun and enjoy the life that they are living.  The people felt it was very important to look to find the "good life".  The "good life" contained a life where people were enjoying what they were doing at the time and not looking so much to the future, but to the present. 

This has a connection to the economy because people began to spend their money differently.  At the beginning of the 20th centruy people thought it was very important to save their money and deprive themselves of things.  However, as the 20th centruy carried on people wanted to spend the money that they had while they had it instead of looking to save the money and keep it for future use. 

Furthermore, religion and the role it played in a persons life began to come into question.  People remained religious, but they started to believe that they may not need to live their lives exclusively for the future and religion itself.  The idea of fun and enjoying ones life was made important.  Society wanted to live not just for God or a higher being, but for themselves as well.