Is there anything to be optimistic about?

[darklordoftech]

COVID-19 won’t go away just because Trump isn’t President anymore, I doubt anyone can repair relations with Iran after what Trump has done, the Democratic Party (both its voters and delegates) rejected legalizing marijuana, and the Supreme Court will have a conservative majority no matter who replaces RBG. What is there to be optimistic about?

(And before anyone suggests otherwise, I’m going to vote for Biden).

[Hammy]

There is nothing to be optimistic about, nor was there ever. Hence why most people are pessimists in the first place.

[woodley park]

Sadly, just like in 2009 and 2010, Democrats will have to console themselves with 'things could always be worse'. In that spirit, RBG won't be replaced by a conservative justice.

[ProudModerate2]

... There is a very strong probability trump will be gone in January 2021.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yes, I get a kick out of student athletes not getting their scholarships and getting paid for playing sports in colleges.  This is gonna have a Domino in all sports whom is gonna replace Lebron, Curry, Brady and Drew Brees when they retire.

Also, band and cheerleading is also affected by the Pandemic

[It’s so Joever]

Yes, this is still a relatively good period to live in when compared to the past.

[pbrower2a]

COVID-19 won’t go away just because Trump isn’t President anymore, I doubt anyone can repair relations with Iran after what Trump has done, the Democratic Party (both its voters and delegates) rejected legalizing marijuana, and the Supreme Court will have a conservative majority no matter who replaces RBG. What is there to be optimistic about?

(And before anyone suggests otherwise, I’m going to vote for Biden).

A vaccine will be found for COVID-19 sometime in 2021. The economy will be in recovery in early 2021 -- too late in both cases for getting President Trump re-elected. The recovery will be slow, as there will be plenty of business failures with new small businesses filling the openings.

Causes for long-term optimism:

1. Donald Trump will have shown how not to be President. Even more, Americans will be convinced anew of the need for separation of powers, checks and balances, and the rule of law.

2. The Trump Presidency has coincided with a large number of personal scandals, not all connected to the Donald. Integrity is no triviality. Abusive sexuality will have become  something to avoid even for the rich and powerful.

3. Rationality will make a huge comeback. Truth is something that one accommodates -- not something that can accommodate persons.

[Crumpets]

Global poverty and infant mortality continue to be in a general decline and access to education continues to grow.

Even if we aren't going to solve our problems in the next couple of years, if ever, the ability of leaders and visionaries to assert themselves in places where it would have formerly been impossible is growing every day.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

COVID-19 won’t go away just because Trump isn’t President anymore, I doubt anyone can repair relations with Iran after what Trump has done, the Democratic Party (both its voters and delegates) rejected legalizing marijuana, and the Supreme Court will have a conservative majority no matter who replaces RBG. What is there to be optimistic about?

(And before anyone suggests otherwise, I’m going to vote for Biden).

A vaccine will be found for COVID-19 sometime in 2021. The economy will be in recovery in early 2021 -- too late in both cases for getting President Trump re-elected. The recovery will be slow, as there will be plenty of business failures with new small businesses filling the openings.

Causes for long-term optimism:

1. Donald Trump will have shown how not to be President. Even more, Americans will be convinced anew of the need for separation of powers, checks and balances, and the rule of law.

2. The Trump Presidency has coincided with a large number of personal scandals, not all connected to the Donald. Integrity is no triviality. Abusive sexuality will have become  something to avoid even for the rich and powerful.

3. Rationality will make a huge comeback. Truth is something that one accommodates -- not something that can accommodate persons.

Trunp just signed an executive order not giving into Ds demands of 600 a week unemployment,  there isnt a cure for viruses and there isnt much Biden can do differently than Trump is already doing as Prez, as far as social distancing

Not saying that Trump wins, but the election is gonna get tighter, that's why Biden and Hegar are 6 pts behind in TX

[Meclazine for Israel]

Optimism is really a personal choice.

I was having this conversation with a guy in his 60's yesterday. Growing up without mobiles and internet was so much cleaner for the mind in terms of achieving longer term goals, and therefore, achieveing long term happiness.

When younger adults start spending more time online and climbing over each other attempting to be the master of the Online Universe, it invariably ends with anxiety, negativism and depression.

You just have your own internal light and focus on happiness achieved with other people.

The Big Moon

Your Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OijD72t4XY

People are always attracted to other's positive light.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Sort of. At least if Biden gets elected Trump obviously won't be much of a problem anymore (though I don't think the country will be truly rid of him until he dies, he'll still tweet, I'm sure. Also he is a permanent taint on our history.). Biden has the chance to salvage as much as possible before the inevitable 2022 midterm bloodbath, especially if the Senate flips. And if Ginsburg manages to survive until then, at least the liberal wing of the court will still have four. Let's be honest that the liberals have been in a minority even before Kennedy was replaced by Kavanaugh. I always thought that Kennedy's reputation as being unbiased was overblown. These are smaller than ideal potential victories but I would give anything for them at this point.

However, I still think the best case scenario for the country would have been if our populace had been proactive, elected Clinton, and prevented what we're going through now. I don't care if she would have been a lame duck by default or how bad the 2018 midterms would have been.

[Crumpets]

Optimism is really a personal choice.

I was having this conversation with a guy in his 60's yesterday. Growing up without mobiles and internet was so much cleaner for the mind in terms of achieving longer term goals, and therefore, achieveing long term happiness.

When younger adults start spending more time online and climbing over each other attempting to be the master of the Online Universe, it invariably ends with anxiety, negativism and depression.

You just have your own internal light and focus on happiness achieved with other people.

The Big Moon

Your Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OijD72t4XY

People are always attracted to other's positive light.

I love that song. Probably one of my favorites from the last couple of years.

[dead0man]

Optimism is really a personal choice.

this is it

yes, it's been a little harder to be optimistic in the days of Covid, but even with Covid, life is a way better for most people in the world than it was a generation ago.  Some young people whinging online doesn't change that fact.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

We will have a vaccine by November

[pbrower2a]

Optimism is really a personal choice.

I was having this conversation with a guy in his 60's yesterday. Growing up without mobiles and internet was so much cleaner for the mind in terms of achieving longer term goals, and therefore, achieveing long term happiness.

When younger adults start spending more time online and climbing over each other attempting to be the master of the Online Universe, it invariably ends with anxiety, negativism and depression.

You just have your own internal light and focus on happiness achieved with other people.

The Big Moon

Your Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OijD72t4XY

People are always attracted to other's positive light.

People do on the Web what used to be available with more difficulty without it. One had to buy a record or CD to get to listen to music, buy or borrow the book to read it, attend a lecture or concert, or (this was before even VHS) see a movie in a theater or wait to watch it, mangled by cutting out the widescreen image for most widescreen movies and adding commercials for used-car dealerships.

For me, sending a text-only e-mail or even a message over a cell phone is like sending a telegram. Note well: that at one time the most promising boys (including Thomas Edison and David Sarnoff) typically operated telegraphs.

[Boobs]

One thing that many parents can do is to use technology as a springboard. The PowerPoint skills alone are enough to get a child off the streets and into a beautiful, florid, neoclassical townhouse.

[Podgy the Bear]

We are going to control COVID-19, just like we have done with AIDS.  We will get effective therapies soon (and we may have some already--need to get them validated in a scientific and not political manner).

[PSOL]

Nothing ever good happens on its own through some unforeseen force, things happen because there was some motion to move it there. Same thing here, things are deteriorating in many situations and aspects because there isn’t a counterforce to move things in a more positive direction.

The good news is that people are waking up and realizing that things are deteriorating; their social stability, living standards, and other things preventing them from living in lives they see fit for themselves. Due to this, the framework for change is being lade down. We see this in the rise of trade unionism and strikes both official and wildcat in the United States, the rise of grassroots insurgent campaigns for office bring in reformers to power, and social movements that started off as mere slogans produce massive change in recent memory. To get to good times of prosperity, you got to fight for it, and lo and behold we’ve seen a rise of movements, groups, and figureheads pop up fighting for a better future.

On the pandemic, yeah national and international bodies have failed, but a lot of them have either realized that change is needed, is already changed for something new, or the groundwork for reform is there. Like

We are going to control COVID-19, just like we have done with AIDS.  We will get effective therapies soon (and we may have some already--need to get them validated in a scientific and not political manner).

Said, we are getting closer to easing the restrictions placed and stopping more deaths from continuing. Patience, and work in the meanwhile to make sure things don’t get worse, is key here.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Of course there is! Just like there's still plenty to be pessimistic about.

The specifics change, but s--t happens - the good, the bad, and the ugly - life ends, begins, and goes on. Same as it's always been.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The Protestors have short attention spans and the magnitude of protests that in June would have delieved a 2008 70 M vote victory over Trump isnt there anymore. Lebron went back to his day job as an athlete. I am so disappointed,  that's why Trump is happy again and he is at 48/42 approvals in Rassy and Rs are emboldened to not give Ds 600. Biden will get no more than the same exact vote 65 to 62 million Hillary got

The protesting magnitude has faded and I come from LA where protesting has been a problem. Youngsters want instant gratification,  since they cant get their sports games and go to arenas, they stop protesting 😏😏😏

[Battista Minola 1616]

Global poverty continues to decline. The infant mortality rate too.
In many parts of the world, young adults can expect to live more than 80 years. That includes most of this forum.
Real disposable income in the United States is at record levels.
If you own stocks, the stock market is generally recovering pretty well from the cliff off which it fell in February and March.
You are still alive.
Smallpox is not a thing anymore.
The ozone hole is continually shrinking.
Etc.






In the end, pessimism or optimism is just a choice.

[Hollywood]

You should be optimistic about all the progress we’re making on Renewable Energies and EVs, and plans and construction in the works to interconnect Southern states on a solar power grid, high speed rail system, and expressway that’ll increase freight through the ports.  I just voted with my HOA board on a solar panel contract for 140 houses in the community, which is part of a plan to connect to other areas that sign on.  I guess you didn’t hear the news about coal being priced out of the market, or all those improvements that were made to solar panels and batteries.  Made stock plays on EV and Lithium companies that were sweet. 

Also, big Project just finished in Kissimmee and St. Cloud Florida. 
https://www.aroundosceola.com/news/major-solar-energy-project-now-providing-power-kissimmee-st-cloud

I guess I’d be pessimistic if all I heard each day is negativity or living back in New Jersey.  If I could replay life before leaving Jersey, I’d get on I95 tonight and cruise all the way down to Raleigh, NC without looking back. 

[Badger]

Trump will no longer be president in less than 6 months. We will have a vaccine covid probably within a year or so. Those are two huge huge improvements for the quality of life of Americans.

[Hermit For Peace]

Optimism is really a personal choice.

I was having this conversation with a guy in his 60's yesterday. Growing up without mobiles and internet was so much cleaner for the mind in terms of achieving longer term goals, and therefore, achieveing long term happiness.

When younger adults start spending more time online and climbing over each other attempting to be the master of the Online Universe, it invariably ends with anxiety, negativism and depression.

You just have your own internal light and focus on happiness achieved with other people.

The Big Moon

Your Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OijD72t4XY

People are always attracted to other's positive light.

Very nice post. I like the way you wrote it.

[RINO Tom]

No.  Even if COVID gets better in spite of the dumb people who refuse to wear masks or think it’s a fluke, there will still be a hall monitor class of idiots who won’t let life go on until there are no more diseases.  I know that sounds like hyperbole, but 1 million people are hospitalized every year from pneumonia, and 50,000 die ... prepare yourself for COVID panic types to move on to this and how we could prevent a very large portion of these (and they are correct!) if we just exercised social distancing always.