Life Is Good, So Why Do We Feel So Bad?

I would encourage you to read a recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal by Gregg Easterbrook, a fellow at the Brookings Institution. Pay particular attention to this gem,

The relentlessly negative impressions of American life presented by the media, including the entertainment media, explain something otherwise puzzling that shows up in psychological data. When asked about the country's economy, schools, health care or community spirit, Americans tell pollsters the situation is dreadful. But when asked about their own jobs, schools, doctors and communities, people tell pollsters the situation is good. Our impressions of ourselves and our neighbors come from personal experience. Our impressions of the nation as a whole come from the media and from political blather, which both exaggerate the negative.

The latter has never been thicker.

The market is down, the price of oil is up, and we're still not completely out of the woods on the mortgage debacle, but I agree with Mr. Easterbrook, that things are much better than the media and many others would have you believe.

Have a great weekend.