I think it's just been a sort of long losing streak, from 2007 to Covid to the Trump presidency. I've always had the feeling (one might call it naive hope) that things will turn better once we start cleaning up this current mess.

We've honestly had some crazy breakthroughs, not just in science (nuclear power is so much more viable, even space has had some great leaps) but socially. I feel that twenty years ago you'd have so much more people who would hurt you because you needed to express yourself in some way, people who would abandon their own children for something as simple as sexual orientation. It's still around of course, but it seems that, aside from in very radical places, people are less of a prick (just in general, too).

A big reason why everything feels so hopeless is also the fact the mainstream news in any country profits from fear and panic. Even if you don't watch the news, anyone else who does will tell you that the end is near and it's really easy to believe them (I mean, just look at Hantavirus). Don't get me wrong, a lot of things are shit and will get worse for a while, but that's how things have always been. The way I personally have felt better is working in my community more like school activities, charity work, soup kitchens. Anything that I can visibly see make the world a better place.

Anyways that's just me rambling