How will Americans react to hard times?

I think Americans will start to be more conservative with their money. Instead of spending needlessly. I also think that people start to save more money for major purchases instead putting in on a charge card. So overall better money management skills.

Hopefully we come back strongly. But that is so difficult for a society that has become complacent, affluent, spoilt and wasteful. We have allowed ourselves to be tempted by greed, advertising, drugs etc.. And because it takes a long long period of apathy to get there, it is a long hard way back.

Depression, hopelessness. Wonder how there kids and grandkids will do. Maybe even heart attacks. I hope we learn better to save money instead of spend.

Publicly complain and privately suck it up. Like we always do.