DAILYCALLER (John Loftus) - 10-Year-Olds Asked To Predict American Life In 2050. Some Answers Were Shockingly Pessimistic
“The war against Iran right now is bound to spark a couple more wars”
NYTIMES (Paul Kedrosky) - Why Americans Are So Freaked Out by A.I.
The key is understanding how our labor market and our social net differs from the rest of the world.
AXIOS (Russell Contreras) - America approaches 250 with its best days in doubt
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…
THENATIONALPULSE (Pulse Wires) - U.S. Consumer Sentiment Hits Record Low.
Consumer sentiment crashed to a record low of 49.8 in April according to the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index. This marks the lowest level since data collection began in 1978 with economic pessimism cutting across political party, education, age, and socioeconomic dividing lines.
Consumer sentiment in the U.S. has plummeted to its lowest level since 1978, driven by economic uncertainties stemming from the Iran war . PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Consumer sentiment crashed to a record low of 49.8 in April, according to the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index. This marks the lowest level since data collection began in 1978. DETAIL: The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index is a consumer confidence report published monthly by the university’s Institute for Social Research. The index incorporates data gathered through questions about individual economic circumstances, as well as short- and long-term economic expectations. In the most recent survey, published on Friday, the Index revealed…Open
NPR (Andee Tagle) - Do you lean optimistic or pessimistic? Take this quiz and find out
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.
AMERICANGREATNESS (Roger Kimball) - Conservatism’s Case for Cheerful Realism
I have been thinking a lot about narrative formation, about how the taken-for-granted atmosphere of opinion forms and diffuses such that tout le monde internalizes […] Source
AI:Roger Kimball examines the formation of cultural narratives and argues for a philosophy of cheerful realism within conservatism to counter the pervasive atmosphere of pessimism or despair often found in modern political discourse.Open