"Replacing society with a competitive free market gives everyone the opportunities which historically were only available to aristocrats and career criminals. Welcome to the land of opportunity where everything is a commodity and the only regulator is the bottom line."

Peter Hoeg in 'The Quiet Girl' writes,

"The motive for our actions doesn't lie ahead of us. It's something behind us that we're trying to escape." 

which perhaps explains the flashbacks I mentioned yesterday.