Underneath another
moronic attempt by Brooks to tell people how to conduct their private lives, there is a strong liberal argument. He is talking about why married couples should have joint bank accounts but he ends up sounding pretty liberal in his criticism of economic selfishness (economic selfishness being the basis of all conservative thought). I never thought I would hear Bobo talk, snark free, about the benefits of "the communal ethos" particularly in relation to financial matters. He even articulates a very good case for social security:
The larger, far more important point is that in a society as individualistic as ours, it's especially important to protect and nurture the countervailing institutions.
Social security is the archetypal "countervailing institution".
A tiny bit more below the fold...
He wraps it up with a nice case for liberalism:
It's so easy for the powerful force of individualism to wash over and transform institutions - like family, religion and the military - that are supposed to be based on self-sacrifice, loyalty and love.
Just expand military to include other aspects of government and you are speaking liberal: "Selfishness bad. Community good." I know you didn't mean it, and you are still a weenie, but thanks Bobo!