These forces are crowding out a more meaningful set of values centered on family, responsibility, and community. People do not want to repudiate material gain, but they want a greater sense of balance in their lives. Americans are deeply concerned about their future. Americans see this as unhealthy and destructive. Harwood noted that people worry that if we do not change course, social conditions will continue to worsen, and our children and future generations will bear the burden.
People are ambivalent about making changes in their lives and in our society.
Survey results showed that Americans want financial security and comfort, but they also hold deep nonmaterial aspirations for themselves and their country. Yet they struggle to reconcile the need for changes in themselves and others with their core belief in freedom to live as we choose. Americans associate the environment with these concerns, but in a general way. With such concerns in mind, the conference participants began to address some difficult yet essential questions.