Young people's seeming dire outlook on our nation's future

The other day, while at work, I was in all-day training with a group of about a dozen co-workers of varying ages.

We were, at one point, to tell two things about ourselves no one in the room likely already knew.

One young woman said, rather boldly, as one of her points, that our country was "going down the sh*tter."

I thought it pretty stunning, for a few reasons.

First, her adjective she used to describe the situation was crude, I thought, for the group and to be spoken in public.

The second reason I found it surprising was because she was so young, relatively--probably in her late 20's or very early 30's--yet here she was, saying she thought our own United States had an ugly future in front of us.

Third, here she was, blurting that out not just publicly but to fellow co-workers.  Whatever happened to being "positive"?

Yet it wasn't completely surprising to me, either.

I have seen and heard this feeling, this thought, time and again from some people--and young ones, too. Personally, I find it surprising to the point of shocking.

Haven't Americans virtually always been known as optimistic, as a whole? Isn't that what we've been known as, around the world?

Is it because of the worst economic downturn in 80 years that people espouse this feeling?

Is it because the wealthy and corporations have taken over our government?

Is it because we have a black president and because more women and blacks and Hispanics and other minorities are gaining power and recognition across the country?

What is it?

All I know is, it's not healthy. It's patently unhealthy for the country and for the future of the country.

I say again, we need to come together, all of us, as Americans, and work to present solutions for our country and then, far more importantly, that we then work on those solutions into the future, to make this the place we want and need it to be.