Why So Glum?
The Election Winner is Usually the one More Optimistic
On Monday I commented on a story and someone replied with the following:
“Right now, both sides seem to be saying ‘we’re doomed,’ isn’t that weird?”1
Thing is, she’s right. Both sides are looking at their prospective nominees, looking at what is going on in the world, looking at the prospective arguments and going “The world is going to hell in a handbasket pretty quickly isn’t it?” Republicans are lamenting “Christ, we’re going to have Trump f**k things up again,” while the Democrats are going “S**t, Biden may be the only person alive (?) who could lose to Trump.”
The whole premise of every question at the GOP debate was on “What Circle of Hell are we currently in?” Seriously, not a single question or response was focused on what was currently right in America, or on a positive message at all.
It’s an onslaught of pessimism that I honestly don’t think I’ve ever actually witnessed really ever. As President Jimmy Carter2 once succinctly described it, “It’s a crisis of confidence.”
The thing is, Americans have it pretty good right now.
Our economy emerged from the COVID pandemic in much stronger shape than pretty much every other country on the planet. Yet, everyone polled is saying our economy is in horrible shape.
Interest rates have been bad, particularly if you were looking into buying a new home or have an adjustable rate mortgage. They’re still lower than most every other top end economy, and they’re starting to even come down.
People are traveling and seeing live events at rates almost up to where they were pre-pandemic. Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” will likely be the largest concert tour ever before its done.
According to data regarding hotels, airfare and passport applications, people are traveling again—big time.
Unemployment is at historic lows, and wages are rising significantly.
Note that when there has been inflation and wages go up, this is usually a plus in helping pay down debts.
Compared to where we were three years ago, with a cratering economy, COVID deaths exceeding a million, everything shut down and parents flipping out over getting their kids learning on zoom, we’re actually somewhat back to normal and life is looking pretty good.
So as the bartender said to the horse that just walked into the bar— “Why the long face?”
Well, from my perspective, its a number of things.
Working remotely. Since the pandemic, a large number of Americans now work remotely. They aren’t really itching to get back into the office either. However, there’s a downside to this too. By working remote we don’t really interact with anyone on a personal level; quite often one never leaves the house. They get out of bed, maybe don’t shower or change out of workout clothes, sit at a computer all day and pretty soon, one day blends into every other day. Those personal relationships we build, not just at work but bumping into people at the coffee shop, fast food restaurants, work cafeterias and elsewhere really do improve our outlooks on the day. When there is quantifiably no difference between days, your morale tends to go down.
Cultural stagnancy. We are always looking for new and innovative restaurants, movies, shows, music and such to spark our culture, and give us something to experience and talk about. From a psychological standpoint, this is much more noticeable as we changeover from one decade to the next. It still feels like 2014. This was starting to occur before the pandemic, then was exacerbated by it, then started to improve only to get walloped by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Culturally, we’re still watching the same films over and over, listening to the same music, experiencing the same things. With so many sequels, reboots, rehashes, and retoolings, most of what we are witnessing is all derivative as well. Nothing much has changed culturally since the mid-2010s, and people want something new that hasn’t come yet, and no, a new version iPhone is no substitute. Most don’t want to see a new comic book sequel or listen to an autotuned-computer generated beat track. They want something new and genuine.3
Political old guys. Nobody is particularly thrilled at the prospect of another Biden-Trump matchup but it looks increasingly like that is what we are going to get. Politics drives a lot in our culture, helping provide collective milestones and moments we all experience and remember. Politics often fuels the zeitgeist of cultural change. Watching some aging boomers fight, not just for the White House but clutch onto their last vestiges of relevancy is uninspiring. At a time where we should be turning over the baton to a new generation of leaders and giving them the experience and opporunities that will guide our futures, we’re stuck in Generation Limbo.
And its this last point that has a lot of us in such a dour mood. The rhetoric coming out of both camps is extremely pessimistic. Republicans point to Biden and say four more years under Joe and we’ll have double digit inflation, overrun with immigrants and fighting Russia in World War III. Democrats point to Trump and clearly envision the apocalypse. It becomes a war of who’s vision is just less bad.
However, as any political consultant worth anything will tell you, it’s usually the person with the more uplifting, optimistic, positive message who wins elections. People don’t want to feel scared, they want to feel happy, confident, with sunny feelings toward the future. Reagan’s “Morning in America” is the prime example of this. Biden has tried and hinted at this but it hasn’t resonated yet. It still may by 2024. Trump, he’s betting on the Four Horsemen coming.
And there is a lot to look forward to in the next four years:
2026 will be America’s 250th birthday. The last time I saw something this noteworthy from an national icon standpoint, the Statue of Liberty turned 100 and it was a soaring moment of national pride. 4
Also in 2026, the United States will be hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. Nothing brings out nationalism more than a sporting event.
Did I mention sporting events? Los Angeles will be hosting the Summer Olympics in 2028. The last time the Summer Olympics were in Los Angeles in 1984, the level of patriotism in America hit a peak and Reagan milked it to a 49 state sweep.
So all is not bad. Cheer up! America does better when we feel better. Go out, get some air. Go to a coffee shop or bar. Meet some new people without using an online ap. Take up a hobby, learn something new. Join a gym or an athletic league. The world is opening up again. Let’s be happy and grateful, not the stubborn naysayer cooped up, watching nonstop cable news infotainment feeling weary about the world.
Let’s be happy again.
PurpleAmerica’s Cultural Corner
Put a smile on your face, make the world a better place.
Oh, and Don’t Worry, Be Happy
PurpleAmerica’s Obscure Fact of the Day
After adjusting for factors such as illnesses, finances and clinical depression, happy people have a 35% lower chance of death than people who are unhappy, according to the National Academy of Sciences (2011).
PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject
Staying with the 1984 Olympics, let’s give it to America’s darling who came out of those LA games:
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Footnotes and Fun Stuff
Thank you “Amanda” on the Morning Shots Comment Board for that. :)
Happy 99th Birthday President Carter!
If there is a lesson about the whole “Rich Men North of Richmond” praising, its that genuineness and something different can be quite popular.
Just listening to David Lee Roth sing “Yankee Rose” was worth it.