Risk as We Know It.

The article discusses the concept of risk, with particular focus given to its history in the U.S. and its relationship to capitalism. The cultural transition from communal assumption of risks to the idea of risk as something to be borne by the individual is commented on, and the interconnectedness of risk and capitalism are examined. The evolution of the concept of risk management through means such as insurance, savings, and futures markets is explored, and the influence of the idea of personal risk on concepts of selfhood is touched on.