Better.

Steve points to important things ...

The world can get better but people don’t feel it – they can even feel like they’re going backwards – because once a problem is solved it’s replaced by a new one, often with the same level of anxiety, fear, and anger.

A few things I keep in mind:

• In a way, the best definition of progress is when you’ve knocked out the major issues and are left dealing with lower, less-severe ones.
• Stress is an innovator. Nothing incentivizes like worry, so we should never want a world where people see everything as perfect.
• People are problem solvers. It’s a great characteristic and the source of all progress. But when solving problems is core to your identity, you occasionally see trouble where none exists.
• Being angry can be an intoxicating feeling. It offers a sense of moral superiority, because when you accuse others of causing problems, you’re implying that you are better than them. It feels great, and in a strange way some people love being pissed off.
• The dumber the disagreements, the better the world actually is.