Prosperity and its Discontents

Generally speaking, I believe that markets work, that efficiency matters, and that property- and entrepreneurship-rights are both practically and morally important. At the same time, I have a soft spot for anti-consumerism social critiques, agrarian nostalgia, "crunchy conservativism," the "family farm," and the "old neighborhood." So, while I am sympathetic to many of the arguments set out in Gregg Easterbrook's latest, a lot of what Radley Balko says in this essay -- "Prosperity's Nitpickers," also rings true.

Is there a way to combine the Burkean stance, described below by Steve, with Balko's exhuberant celebration of the many ways in which capitalism improves our lives?

Rick

UPDATE: Nate Oman has some thoughts. So does Gordon Smith.