Are you optimistic about the future of the USA?

[Mr. Illini]

Open ended question that I've been dwelling on lately.

I personally have a hard time feeling optimistic about the future of this country, even with the election results this November. I don't think that I would've expressed much confidence pre-2020, but 2020 has certainly dampened any optimism that I had.

I can't help but feel like the institutions that hold our country together and enable us to succeed are ripping at the seams.

One of these is government. Of course, our government has been approaching dysfunction for the last 20-30 years, but 2020 has really laid it bare. Obviously, Trump and his admin have been totally incompetent at meeting the COVID-19 crisis. The legislative branch hasn't been much better off. Where is the second round of CARES Act relief? We were supposed to be on round three by now. Congress is utterly dysfunctional. It's an unpopular view these days, but when congress is divided, compromise actually is necessary from both sides to pass legislation.

Another is the press and truth/evidence in general. Academia would be looped in here as well. The responsibility here primarily lies on the people (not the press or academia). Social media has done a lot of good, but it has also blurred the line between trustworthy knowledge within the standards of the journalistic profession and the plethora of "knowledge" that is out there that does not meet these standards. The idea that information that you are spreading should be thoroughly vetted by a trustworthy source is no longer popular. Many (on both sides of the aisle) will not just ignore this idea but openly refute it and claim that the mainstream press is intentionally deceiving or misrepresenting. I'd also say that the press hasn't done what it needs to do to reassure trust, either. The profit motive of media companies does produce headlines and stories that are watered down and clickbait-y. It is cliche, but if there is not agreement as to what is true and what is not, our democracy can't function properly.

Meanwhile, I don't see any clear paths laid out to address these ills. Getting Trump out is a positive in this regard, as he exacerbates all of the problems described above, but of course that will not cure these ills. So, what will? I don't see folks in government or in other spheres of our society having this conversation. Instead, they are busy actively contributing to the problems.

Thanks for allowing my rant. I know that a lot of what I've said above isn't very unique, but I've been thinking on it today. Interested to hear other perspectives. It is open ended, so don't feel the need to stick to the topics I've touched above.

[Suburbia]

Not so much.

It's sad.

Most people will say "Block out the negative news, etc., focus on your town and see the good in people" , but you will be seen as a myopic privileged person.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Of course I am , we have been through much worse before and we will get through our problems today .

[Xing]

Not at all. We've fallen far behind many other developed countries, and the income inequality, lack of access to higher education, healthcare, and race relations are probably, at best, going to get worse before they get better.

[TML]

Not very much. Right now the leadership of both major parties are steeped in corruption - they have taken lots of donations from special interests to pass policies and spew talking points in favor of them over regular people. The current president-elect has not promised any major structural changes to government to address these issues, and this could very well pave the way for a more competent right-wing populist to win within the next decade.

[7,052,770]

Yes, but we have to get control of the social media epidemic that has scammed an entire political party into believing in a separate, fake reality.

[Beet]

I'm not really optimistic but I don't think it's going to collapse either. Nor do I think America is in decline. I just think the politics will continue to be miserable.

[Suburbia]

Not at all. We've fallen far behind many other developed countries, and the income inequality, lack of access to higher education, healthcare, and race relations are probably, at best, going to get worse before they get better.

Yes, because one party makes horrible messaging, despite their hearts being in the right place, and they then can't understand why the majority of the country, white America is tuning out of the issue.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

No, but rather not get into a Civil War because that just helps evil entities like the CCP.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Not very much. Right now the leadership of both major parties are steeped in corruption - they have taken lots of donations from special interests to pass policies and spew talking points in favor of them over regular people. The current president-elect has not promised any major structural changes to government to address these issues, and this could very well pave the way for a more competent right-wing populist to win within the next decade.

[HillGoose]

Yes because betting against America never seems to win, or whatever Warren Buffett said.

[Bootes Void]

Yes

[Del Tachi]

Generally yes, because we're (constructively and destructively) updating the assumptions underlying the post-Cold War "end of history" ethos that has stagnated our development and robbed us of national purpose.  What alternative stands to be installed in its wake is the political debate of our moment, but one which Trumpist Republicans seem much better-poised to win than old man Biden and his in-fighting Democrats.     

The new order will not be perfect and have many issues of its own, of course, but experiencing growing pains is at least a sign that we're putting in the work.  At its core, the Democrats ideological answer to our current situation is pressing the rewind button back to 2013, covering our ears, and screaming "LA LA LA" while China zooms past us and Rural America continues to be hollowed-out

[Battista Minola 1616]

I am by nature an optimistic person, but I don't see an especially bright future for the United States of America.

[MR DARK BRANDON]

With Biden in, I’m optimistic about the world.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yes, Covid has changed things around, death isn't inevitable for the vast majority, if we catch Covid unless you give up.

We will have our vaccines by the Spring and return to a normal life

[Lechasseur]

No, not at all.

And this has nothing to do with who's President right now. America's issues imo are simply structural and I don't think there's anyway to fix them.

[Lechasseur]

Not at all. We've fallen far behind many other developed countries, and the income inequality, lack of access to higher education, healthcare, and race relations are probably, at best, going to get worse before they get better.

Agreed, and if anything America has fallen behind every single developed country, no exceptions, and at this point America will probably fall behind some places in Latin America soon, if it hasn't already.

[Amanda Huggenkiss]

Not at all. We've fallen far behind many other developed countries, and the income inequality, lack of access to higher education, healthcare, and race relations are probably, at best, going to get worse before they get better.

Agreed, and if anything America has fallen behind every single developed country, no exceptions, and at this point America will probably fall behind some places in Latin America soon, if it hasn't already.

Sadly, many people who are fighting to keep those structural deficits refuse to accept comparisons between the US and other countries.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Slightly more optimistic than a year ago or so... but overall still pessimistic.

[American2020]

As a historian of the early republic, I dare say that pessimism is to America what salt is to french fries: without, it wouldn’t be the same.

However, there are two types of pessimism in America, absolute and conditional – a distinction that political scientist Francis G. Wilson laid out long ago.

Absolute pessimism is the belief that the nation is a big lie, a fraud, a trick that cunning white males have been playing on women, native populations, African Americans, working classes, immigrants. As such, this nation deserves to be cursed, canceled, sunk, forgotten.

Most leaders, journalists, analysts and historians do not endorse this kind of pessimism. They are conditional pessimists, as Wilson would label them.

They are like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet of the Bible. They deliver a prophecy of disaster because they want to provide a new hopeful solution. They speak to Americans’ sense of pride, exhort them, incite them, mobilize them, increase the level of commitment to a common cause and enact a ritual whose upshot should be a deeper awareness.

To repeat: The worst can happen – is happening – today, just as it did 200-something years ago. That’s why these contemporary prophets are not delusional conspiracy theorists, or simply paranoids.

Their pessimism is fact based. At the same time, it’s a patriotic feat. Conditional pessimists evoke images of turbulence and peril. But they call on America to be its best self.


Pessimism, in this case, is optimism by another name.

https://theconversation.com/pessimists-have-been-saying-america-is-going-to-hell-for-more-than-200-years-145662

Positive or negative outcome can happen. I'm pragmatic.

[dead0man]

yes

the things right with America still out weigh the things wrong with America

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

yes

the things right with America still out weigh the things wrong with America

[It’s so Joever]

I am optimistic that we are screwed.

[Torie]

Yes!