Our National Funk
Michael Barone (via National Review) looks at the recent Pew Global Attitudes Project's poll of citizens of 47 countries and notes:
Only 25 percent of Americans are positive about the direction of the nation, down from 41 percent in 2002. In only a handful of the 47 nations are there declines of similar magnitude—Uganda, the Czech Republic, France, Canada, and Italy. Obviously, one factor here is the decline in the job rating of George W. Bush and of Congress (and the response in other countries to squabbling politicians in Prague, Paris, Ottawa, and Rome)….
But what basis do Americans have to suppose that, for the first time in history, a younger generation will be worse off than their parents? Perhaps it's just a feeling that things cannot possibly get any better. In any case, we seem to be in a pronounced national funk.
Perhaps most importantly, the Pew Global survey showed sharply reduced numbers of Muslims saying that suicide bombings are often or sometimes justified as compared with 2002. That's still the view of 70 percent in the Palestinian territories. But that percentage has declined from 74 percent to 34 percent in Lebanon, from 43 percent to 23 percent in Jordan, and from 33 percent to 9 percent in Pakistan.
Barone suggests that funky Americans, e.g. residents of "this most blessed country are registering a verdict that is in tension with reality." What say you? Is the future so bright you gotta wear shades or do you tremble in fear for your children's coming years?
