A fascinating segment from Pew Research on "American values":
The polling finds little support for the broad notion of American "declinism." As has been the case in previous political values surveys, a large majority agrees that "as Americans we can always find a way to solve our problems and get what we want." The public’s confidence in the nation has not been dulled, even as Americans have become more skeptical about prospects for economic growth.
One wonders how the Brits would have responded to similar polling in 1913, or Romans, circa 409 AD. But not to worry (too much); history doesn't actually repeat itself (although human obliviousness certainly does).
Be careful what you wish for. If people were feeling less optimistic, would they be more likely to start working to turn things around or to start an every-man-for-himself panic?
Posted by: mdblanche | June 06, 2012 at 12:06 AM