There was a time in our country's history when people prided themselves on producing something of value. Farmers farmed. Teachers teached taught. Preachers preached. Sellers sold. Workers worked.

Then, something changed.

Maybe it was the weariness of 12 years of the Great Depression and four years of war, but people were ready for a break. The technology created by necessity during wartime became the nexus for luxury and comfort in post-war peacetime. Americans were sold on the idea that we needed to live the good life.

Then, it happened.

Somewhere during the 60's revolution, the 70's Vietman aftermath, and the 80's faux Reagan prosperity, we turned from being a nation of "Ask not what your country can do for you" into "Me, me, me, I need to get paid!" We no longer cared what if we were being productive with our time; all that matter is that we got paid more and more money to buy all those wonderful toys someone told us we needed.

"No money? No problem!" We went from a country with something backing its currency or something more than saddling future generations with the debt. If we didn't have the money to pay for something, we borrowed from banks. Soon, we got too lazy to go down to the bank and someone decided carrying around little plastic cards with magnetic strips was easier.

It didn't matter that we stopped producing and started racking up debt. All that mattered is that we got the newest and "bestest" toys before our neighbors. We weren't happy anymore either because we are happiest when we are being productive, but Big Pharma stepped in and said, "No happy? No problem!"

The financial crisis our country faces today is a natural consequence of what happens when people stop focusing on the important things in life and only live to get more money, regardless of real cost.

(It shouldn't be surprising that the U.S. has the highest numbers of lawyers per capita in the world, since litigation is often viewed as a "legitimate" avenue to "get paid" over the smallest, often contrived grievances.)

We're now learning that you can't get sumptin' for nuttin'.