It might sound silly, but you HAVE TO be optimistic, otherwise you just opt for the early check-out and blow your head. It's a little extreme, but you can only live expecting a better future, or maybe that is THE reason to live, because your goal is to strive for a better tomorrow, not only for yourself, but people around you and specially your kids. Your question is valid though, watching the clown world unfolding around you, one may wonder if things are going any better. But in a way mankind has always lived in a state of near collapse, so this time around it won't be any different, check @v1intage reply. I guess we all share some common interests here, and the one thing that makes me really have hope for tomorrow is bitcoin. Bitcoin is a peaceful revolution as the world has never seen any before.