Funny: I read this story earlier today, about “walk-away homeowners” and I immediately thought about abortion. Here’s why:

Divorce. Single parenthood. Debt. Bankruptcy. These and a long list of other social behaviors were once stigmatized and kept behind closed doors away from polite society, but are now, if perhaps not completely acceptable, at least openly tolerated and in some cases, even lauded as smart lifestyle choices.

Must we now add foreclosure to the list?

The evidence is still anecdotal, but news media have begun to report that some homeowners have decided to walk away from their homes just because they have no equity and, consequently, don’t want to make their mortgage payments even though they could afford to do so.

Two things. One, we seem to be surrounded by irresponsibility, in just about all aspects of our lives. As though fewer and fewer people were willing to make any sacrifices ever. For anything.

Two, once a society accepts something as horrifying as abortion as just another “lifestyle choice,” then no wonder the stigma attached to foreclosure disappears.

[cross-posted to PWPL]