I find it more than a little interesting, how under the exact same circumstances, two people come to have very different assessments of the situation and their emotional responses are consequently strikingly different.

I was reading an article earlier where the author was lamenting how horrible things are today.

I heard this same lament earlier this week when I attended a meeting of Humanists and Free-Thinkers, all of whom by the way are liberal Democrats. The people there were moaning and groaning over the cost of things. I make less than any of the people at the meeting yet they were bellyaching about how difficult it was to make ends meet. Perhaps it isn't the circumstances, but rather poor choices and planning by the complainers.

Interestingly, they all hate Walmart and refuse to shop there. Perhaps they are over paying for essentials.

I see things quite differently myself.

I think things are pretty darned good. Not perfect by any means, but pretty darned good. 

I'm convinced that the misery these people are experiencing is self-manufactured, and thus they have no one to blame but themselves.