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The Optimism Gap David Whitman Senior writer, U.S. News & World Report Author, The Optimism Gap: The I'm OK, They're Not Syndrome and the Myth of American Decline [Walker & Company, 1998] Many Americans say they're upbeat and optimistic about their own lives and circumstances. These same people, however, are often pessimistic about the life of the nation as a whole. Public opinion polls consistently reveal this tendency to overstate the country's woes and understate personal problems. Join guest host Frank Stasio to explore the enduring sentiment that American mores are on the decline, and how this myth affects the public and it's leaders.

The Optimism Gap

Heard on Talk of the Nation

The Optimism Gap

Audio will be available later today.

David Whitman Senior writer, U.S. News & World Report Author, The Optimism Gap: The I'm OK, They're Not Syndrome and the Myth of American Decline [Walker & Company, 1998] Many Americans say they're upbeat and optimistic about their own lives and circumstances. These same people, however, are often pessimistic about the life of the nation as a whole. Public opinion polls consistently reveal this tendency to overstate the country's woes and understate personal problems. Join guest host Frank Stasio to explore the enduring sentiment that American mores are on the decline, and how this myth affects the public and it's leaders.