If you look back in history, as the barbarians were invading the gates of Rome, people were consulting fortunetellers and worrying about the end of the world and all sorts of other apocalyptic notions. When the tsars were finally overthrown, they were all reading tarot cards even as the revolutionaries were banging at the gates.
Matt TaibbiIn other countries they have histories with revolutions and class movements. In America, people don't like to think of themselves like being in a lower class. They all like to think of themselves as potential millionaires.
Matt TaibbiThere is a reason it used to be a crime in the Confederate states to teach a slave to read: Literacy is power.
Matt TaibbiOnce you give an NFL player permission to have thoughts, you invite all kinds of mischief.
Matt TaibbiCritics say the OWS protesters hate the rich. Come on! Success is the national religion, and almost everyone is a believer. Americans love winners. But that's just the problem. These guys on Wall Street are not winning - they're cheating. And as much as we love the self-made success story, we hate the cheater that much more.
Matt Taibbi