Here’s a thought on David Brooks’ recent essay in The Atlantic: “Chicken Littles Are Ruining America,” aka “The Zeitgeist of Doom.”
He writes: Since about 2004, the share of American 12th graders who say it is “hard to have hope for the world” has been surging, then provides many possible explanations for people’s negativity, including the notion that it’s become fashionable to be dour; young people may feel that they look silly and stupid with a smile and a “can-do” attitude.
But isn’t it possible that these folks are precisely right? What did 2004 look like in terms of hostilities with world superpowers? Did it seem possible that a Donald Trump would come along, reduce the United States to white nationalist, anti-intellectual rubble, then make a valiant and possibly successful attempt to overthrow American democracy? Did it appear possible that climate change would soon be baking our planet while world leaders sat back and watched from their palaces?
Maybe it’s a good think that our teens recognize this crap for what it is.
Can’t swear that this is true but hoping so.
We must never forget.
The more visibility and the more frequent reminders we can get on this catastrophe in U.S. history the better.
It’s almost funny when we hear that California is a socialist state, or a police state (due to our environmental restrictions), or that people are leaving in droves to go to Texas or Florida. When I come across people who say this, I wonder: have you ever actually been to California?
Do you know that the garden-variety 3 BR, 2 BA house here lists at about $1.2 million, where, if it were moved to, say, the Midwest, it would be worth perhaps $2500,000? Why do you think that could possibly be? Maybe the law of supply and demand doesn’t apply to the Marxist part of the nation?
Perhaps it’s because Californians are offered fantastic economic opportunities. We develop and implement ideas that improve the lives of everyone on Earth, and that we profit greatly from our undertakings.
Something for the MAGA crowd to consider.
The main way governments create wealth is by educating people so that they can become productive members of society. They also build roads and airports and maintain law and order so that honest businesses can thrive.
Anyone living now who believes that Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are creating wealth for anyone but themselves is a total fool.
A ton of people bought into the concept expressed here in the mid-20th Century, but no semi-intelligent person today believes that tax breaks for billionaires/trillionaires generates a nickel for the common person.
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