I think part of the problem is that the all-or-nothing thinking that activist groups use to push policy change has permeated throughout the national consciousness (especially regarding climate change). For example, technological progress has prevented some of the doomsday scenarios that seemed likely a decade ago, but a large portion of society is unable to recognize it because they're fixated on not getting what they wanted out of Joe Manchin. It's important to constantly push for better things, but it's also important to celebrate wins.
Another example is progress on LGBT issues. I'm young, and in my lifetime we've gone from people in the DC area saying "that's gay" to describe things they dislike (2005ish) to people in the rural, conservative town my grandparents live in generally treating gay couples the same as everyone else.
I think there are four factors at play here. First, it's increasingly okay to admit that you are not okay. And that's probably a net positive development, if anything. Few teenagers are okay, they are going through rapid internal changes, and there's no remedy for that, other than to provide support. Second, we are entering a period of rapid change. And one result is that we have one perceived crisis after another, after another, after another. Third, that change is accelerating, and will continue to accelerate, until many of us do not recognize the world we live in. Fourth, popular information sources amplify failures and downplay success. That is all to say we are failing to teach resiliency and critical thinking skills. And we all will need to be more resilient and think more critically in order to face what is coming.
Timely article Noah. For me, one open question is around what type of optimism will the American people actually be open to right now? I don't see the Roosevelt approach of 'let's just try to solve the problems and see what will stick' will work because we have become generally extremely rigid, unforgiving and (as we all know) polarized society where people care more about seeing the other side fail than they do in actually solving problems.
> Yet by shooting that tank anyway, you know that you’re simply being a spectator to the flow of history — not simply looking out the window and waiting for the world to happen to you.
Should probably read " . . . know that you're being more than a spectator to the flow . . . " or " . . . you're being a participant in the flow . . ."; otherwise the second clause contradicts the first.
I was such angsty, pessimistic person when I was young, mildly depressed. Then I read a book Learned Optimism, and I don't even remember what it concluded but the idea I just needed work at, train and at thinking differently and could make me better at taking on, adapting to life's struggles, really changed me.
Also, book Surplus Powerlessness about same time in my life. Being realistic that there are real things out of your control and just focusing on what is in your control, not squandering that in despair. This helped me at that time.
Feel like culturally we need tools like these. Almost like CBT, but for culture.
Also, think it's important for people to view things from lense of doing their piece. What if everyone acted like me(you) did. All we can do is our part, but if we all do our part? So what kind of world do you want? Act in such a way, that if everyone took your general approach, be good place for everyone. Of course everyone has unique circumstances, abilities, connections, different starting places.
Looking at the rates of depression strongly implies that a basic problem is a right-wing lack of MYOB (Mind your Own Business.) LGBT and women are under constant attack, and have the highest rates of depression. There's a whole right wing cottage industry for finding, creating, and persecuting enemies. And another right wing cottage industry to declaring that the country has gone to hell. I suspect that social media has amplified the power of these industries.
I am a pessimist by training: What can go wrong will...to paraphrase Murphy's law. Right now we live in an era of rampant corruption where Congress and the Senate follow the will of the people something like 17% of the time. We have two political parties that either support open revolution and voter suppression or the other doesn't have the will to actually follow the rules they are supposed to.
One of the big very large things is that everything is control by what is effectively a group of monopolies who pay off or bury in lawsuits anyone who wants them to follow the rules and actually pay taxes, health care being a major problem. Price gouging is rampant with no one even talking about it, other than Jon Stewart.
In short: those with any power only care about lining their pocket and are utterly denigrating to the vast majority who actually do the work to produce that income. All you have to do is look at how the 'essential' worker has been actually treated to understand why people don't believe the leaders of this country are every going to do a damn thing.
To you observation at the end of your post about "redirect(ing) America’s attention away from social conflict (where vigorous efforts often become a negative-sum game) and toward the problems that we can all solve together," I'm struck by how this aligns with the findings of a recent survey by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center about Oregonians' views of their local schools. They are more pessimistic about their local school boards (a plurality reports that they don't think their local school boards share their values and beliefs) but they are strongly supportive of what they want done to improve things, with 85-90% supportive of more tutoring, mentoring and sports/arts/summer school programs beyond the classrooms.
It's hard for me to decide whether it's really that bad. Seems like it couldn't be any worse than any time in the 20th century. You have taught me to be less cynical! I think the internet can make a person cynical.
I think part of the problem is that the all-or-nothing thinking that activist groups use to push policy change has permeated throughout the national consciousness (especially regarding climate change). For example, technological progress has prevented some of the doomsday scenarios that seemed likely a decade ago, but a large portion of society is unable to recognize it because they're fixated on not getting what they wanted out of Joe Manchin. It's important to constantly push for better things, but it's also important to celebrate wins.
Another example is progress on LGBT issues. I'm young, and in my lifetime we've gone from people in the DC area saying "that's gay" to describe things they dislike (2005ish) to people in the rural, conservative town my grandparents live in generally treating gay couples the same as everyone else.
I think there are four factors at play here. First, it's increasingly okay to admit that you are not okay. And that's probably a net positive development, if anything. Few teenagers are okay, they are going through rapid internal changes, and there's no remedy for that, other than to provide support. Second, we are entering a period of rapid change. And one result is that we have one perceived crisis after another, after another, after another. Third, that change is accelerating, and will continue to accelerate, until many of us do not recognize the world we live in. Fourth, popular information sources amplify failures and downplay success. That is all to say we are failing to teach resiliency and critical thinking skills. And we all will need to be more resilient and think more critically in order to face what is coming.
Important column yet again.
Is there a typo here? “Yet by shooting that tank anyway, you know that you’re [not] simply being a spectator to the flow of history”
Timely article Noah. For me, one open question is around what type of optimism will the American people actually be open to right now? I don't see the Roosevelt approach of 'let's just try to solve the problems and see what will stick' will work because we have become generally extremely rigid, unforgiving and (as we all know) polarized society where people care more about seeing the other side fail than they do in actually solving problems.
> Yet by shooting that tank anyway, you know that you’re simply being a spectator to the flow of history — not simply looking out the window and waiting for the world to happen to you.
Should probably read " . . . know that you're being more than a spectator to the flow . . . " or " . . . you're being a participant in the flow . . ."; otherwise the second clause contradicts the first.
I was such angsty, pessimistic person when I was young, mildly depressed. Then I read a book Learned Optimism, and I don't even remember what it concluded but the idea I just needed work at, train and at thinking differently and could make me better at taking on, adapting to life's struggles, really changed me.
Also, book Surplus Powerlessness about same time in my life. Being realistic that there are real things out of your control and just focusing on what is in your control, not squandering that in despair. This helped me at that time.
Feel like culturally we need tools like these. Almost like CBT, but for culture.
Also, think it's important for people to view things from lense of doing their piece. What if everyone acted like me(you) did. All we can do is our part, but if we all do our part? So what kind of world do you want? Act in such a way, that if everyone took your general approach, be good place for everyone. Of course everyone has unique circumstances, abilities, connections, different starting places.
Our country needs to do our part.
> Yet by shooting that tank anyway, you know that you’re simply being a spectator to the flow of history
I think this should have a "not" in there?
Looking at the rates of depression strongly implies that a basic problem is a right-wing lack of MYOB (Mind your Own Business.) LGBT and women are under constant attack, and have the highest rates of depression. There's a whole right wing cottage industry for finding, creating, and persecuting enemies. And another right wing cottage industry to declaring that the country has gone to hell. I suspect that social media has amplified the power of these industries.
I am a pessimist by training: What can go wrong will...to paraphrase Murphy's law. Right now we live in an era of rampant corruption where Congress and the Senate follow the will of the people something like 17% of the time. We have two political parties that either support open revolution and voter suppression or the other doesn't have the will to actually follow the rules they are supposed to.
One of the big very large things is that everything is control by what is effectively a group of monopolies who pay off or bury in lawsuits anyone who wants them to follow the rules and actually pay taxes, health care being a major problem. Price gouging is rampant with no one even talking about it, other than Jon Stewart.
In short: those with any power only care about lining their pocket and are utterly denigrating to the vast majority who actually do the work to produce that income. All you have to do is look at how the 'essential' worker has been actually treated to understand why people don't believe the leaders of this country are every going to do a damn thing.
Why ?
Why not be realistic, or try to be?
Timely article. Thanks.
To you observation at the end of your post about "redirect(ing) America’s attention away from social conflict (where vigorous efforts often become a negative-sum game) and toward the problems that we can all solve together," I'm struck by how this aligns with the findings of a recent survey by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center about Oregonians' views of their local schools. They are more pessimistic about their local school boards (a plurality reports that they don't think their local school boards share their values and beliefs) but they are strongly supportive of what they want done to improve things, with 85-90% supportive of more tutoring, mentoring and sports/arts/summer school programs beyond the classrooms.
It's hard for me to decide whether it's really that bad. Seems like it couldn't be any worse than any time in the 20th century. You have taught me to be less cynical! I think the internet can make a person cynical.