Sometimes, Things Get Better

[Valin]

Via Meadia:

Sept. 14 2016

 

We devote a lot of time on this blog to grappling with worrisome trends for American public policy—rising healthcare costs, bankrupt state pension systems, the declining support for liberal democratic values among young people.

 

But it’s important to remember that the media has an inherent bias toward fixating on negative developments and de-emphasizing positive ones—and that while there are plenty of things to worry about in America, there are also many reasons to be hopeful.

 

In that spirit, here are three positive social-economic indicators that came to light in the last four weeks (coupled with requisite caveats):

 

(Snip)

 

Public opinion certainly doesn’t reflect a view that things in America are getting better. And of course, for many people, in many places, they aren’t. Along many dimensions, racial and class tensions have been widening. But the public mood is often more of a lagging indicator of social and economic conditions than an accurate forecast for the future. And the steady trickle of good news from social scientists leaves hope that our outlook will be much different—much brighter, even—five or ten years from now.