Where Has Our Optimism Gone?

Issue 156, April 18, 2024

If you were asked to describe the personality of America you might use the adjectives resilient, optimistic, can-do, problem-solving. Our history has been built on these principles and they are still very much embedded in what drives our economy.  However, what’s driving our culture seems to be shifting from these positive “optimistic, can-do” characteristics and turning to a darker, more fractious side – if you believe what you see, hear, or read in news reports.

Last week in discussing reactive and reflective decision-making, we alluded to a potential trend towards pessimism resulting from the near-constant flow of information, all representing various opinions and views. The frustration for individuals results in how to determine fact from fiction. Feelings of being beaten down and/or overwhelmed may have a direct influence on how we see and interpret the world around us.

Shared Optimism

Last week many of us had a shared experience and the rest of the country …