The Dirty Little Secret Is That Both

There's A Great Debate Going On, You Know, On Whether We're Moving Toward A System Of Giant Oligopolies Or A System Of Multiples Of Small Businesses. Which Is It? I Think It's Both. In Every Sector Of The Economy, We Have Giant Brands That Are Trustworthy Guides To What's Good, And Then A Vast Number Of Small Groups, Many Of Them Project-based, Sometimes Folding And Re-creating, That Are Offering Products And Services Through Those Giant Global Brands.

Standing Up To Bullies Is The Hallmark Of A Civilized Society.

Given That Ever-broadening Array Of Options And Alternatives, As Consumers And Investors, We Are Often Bewildered. We Need Guidance. That's Where Today's Brands Come In. They Are Not So Much Signals About A Particular Product, They Are Signals About Good Judgment, Trustworthiness. A Big Brand, Whether It's Schwab Or Disney, Is Becoming Analogous To A Portal That Sells Us Advice About Where We Can Find Great Deals.

Most Americans Are On A Downward Escalator. Median Wage In The United States, Adjusted For Inflation, Keeps On Dropping.

A Lot Of Attention Has Been Going To Social Values - Abortion, Gay Rights, Other Divisive Issues - But Economic Values Are Equally Important.