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AXIOS (Russell Contreras) - America approaches 250 with its best days in doubt Fri Jun 12 14:21:11 2026

Most Americans say the country's best days are behind it as the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday , even as they're personally hopeful about the future. Why it matters: A new Pew Research Center analysis reveals national pessimism, fueled by political polarization and institutional distrust. But the findings also show the American spirit isn't completely broken. By the numbers: Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said in January 2026 they were dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, compared with 29% who were satisfied, Pew found. - 59% say the country's best years are behind it, while 40% say they are ahead. - Only 50% said in January that the year ahead would be better than the year that just ended — the lowest share in…

Most Americans say the country's best days are behind it as the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday , even as they're personally hopeful about the future. Why it matters: A new Pew Research Center analysis reveals national pessimism, fueled by political polarization and institutional distrust. But the findings also show the American spirit isn't completely broken. By the numbers: Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said in January 2026 they were dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, compared with 29% who were satisfied, Pew found. - 59% say the country's best years are behind it, while 40% say they are ahead. - Only 50% said in January that the year ahead would be better than the year that just ended — the lowest share in…Open

NYTIMES (Nadja Spiegelman, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Brock Colyar and Vishakha Darbha) - Feeling Nihilistic? You’re Not Alone. Wed Jun 3 09:15:27 2026

A case for mourning the American dream.

NPR (Andee Tagle) - Do you lean optimistic or pessimistic? Take this quiz and find out Fri Mar 27 09:18:44 2026

A glass-half-full outlook can keep you engaged and hopeful in hard times. Take this quiz to find out your level of optimism, then learn how to train yourself to become more optimistic.

A glass-half-full outlook can keep you engaged and hopeful in hard times. Take this quiz to find out your level of optimism, then learn how to train yourself to become more optimistic.Open

NYTIMES (Vivian Wang) - Where are China’s A.I. Doomers? Wed Mar 4 05:17:35 2026

Chinese policymakers and the public have expressed high levels of optimism about A.I., even as many in the West worry about the technology’s effects on employment or humanity in general.

WASHINGTONPOST (Daniel Wu) - Americans’ optimism for their future took a hit last year, poll finds Tue Feb 10 09:18:47 2026

Around 60 percent said they expected their lives would be significantly better in the future, roughly nine percentage points lower than during the pandemic.