It’s entirely possible this is just attentional bias on your part. You noticed the more vibrant, active adults when you were younger because they were more interesting to you.

But generally, things are worse these days, too. I feel like people used to talk about the future optimistically when I was growing up. Maybe people still talk to kids that way now, but I don’t. And I don’t hear people doing it. So, maybe you’re on to something here.

This country hates its children. And all vulnerable people. We continually treat them as disposable, exploitable resources instead of people deserving of protection and care.

Today’s kids regularly have to rehearse finding cover from a hail of bullets at school, try to prepare themselves for an unlivable ecology, and wonder if any random picture of them will instantly be turned into porn via the new basis of our country’s economy. Capitalism is going great.