RealClearPolicy has an article with this intriguing title: Why Are We So Gloomy? Actually, very little of the article deals with that question. Here is the best they can come up with.
We have evolved to look out for danger. That was the best way to survive when the world was much more threatening.One study recently found, for a headline of average length, “each additional negative word increased the click-through rate by 2.3%.” And so, in a race to the bottom, all media coverage got much darker over the last two decades.We are literally scaring ourselves to death, with rates of anxiety, depression and even suicide rising in some parts of the world.
Most of the article lists the many ways in which life on this planet has gotten better. Inflation-adjusted income has risen dramatically, Homicide rates, deaths from wars and natural catastrophes have dropped. Rates of extreme poverty have declined, as has infant mortality. Education and literacy rates have climbed. Even the environment has experienced improvements.
The author concludes:
To maintain your mental composure and to keep matters in perspective, follow the trendlines, not the headlines. You will discover that the world is in a much better shape than it appears. You will be more cheerful and, most importantly, accurately informed.
Not bad advice, that.
