While Americans continue to greatly respect the notion of free markets and honor the ability of those who can create the great enterprises with potential to take us all along for the ride, in the final analysis, Americans have come to understand that they have no choice but to trust government more than they trust business.

FORBES: The Verdict Is In: The Battle Of Big v. Small Government Will End In Blue Victory

The notion of a man's personal honor being bound up with his mustache appears to have survived into more recent times in some areas.

CNN: Mideast men go under knife for manly mustaches