Lingering Consequences of Bad Choices

There is fascinating article in yesterday’s Washington Post by Paul Schwartzman that chronicles the choices one family has to make as they face economic hardship. The article evokes a range of emotions from sympathy (doting father, bad luck, articulate family) to outrage (spending unemployment money on gambling, beer and cigarettes).  I found that the most interesting thing about this situation was the compounding nature of (bad) choices made long ago.  One choice or decision led to another with compounding consequences; once you head off a path, it is increasingly difficult to correct course.   

Stephen Dubner posted some interesting commentary on the article — the comments are telling insight into the polarization of American views on the economic crisis.