I hate the stock market almost as much as I respect it as an incredible tool. The further out you can guarantee future rewards in exchange for labor and materials, the more prosperous your society will be, and we've seen that in spades. The Dutch invented the concept of common-stock and became the masters of the sea in no time flat; I wouldn't be surprised if the progress (if that's what you believe it is) of the Europeans in philosophy and government was engaged in a feedback loop with the ability of the "common man" to tie his own fortunes into the engines of commerce, rather than into his own social status.

At the same time, it feels infuriating that in order to afford medicine, clothes, food, shelter, and defense once you're past your working prime you must attach your fortunes to companies that have very little to do with the actual services you require in retirement. Personally, I think that the American middle class has been totally taken hostage by Wall Street via the 401(k) and the IRA; anything that threatens "market performance" (e.g. a series of metrics made up and owned by the market owners) threatens their ability to provide for themselves. In this way, any serious large-scale action that might mend a social ill is off the table if its implementation damages large-scale market performance.