This seems like a "cup half empty/half full" argument.

I think our media focuses on the "half empty" aspect far too much of the time. However, this doesn't mean I don't want to know what's going on if it's 'bad' news either. Some balance, I think, would go a long way toward repairing our internal divide.

People in general? I think anyone who is working must be an optimist an heart and since we've got low unemployment figures in this country, then I suspect more of us are optimists than not.

Yeah, we "bitch and moan", but who doesn't?

The only thing the absence of horrifying situations like famine and state-sponsored (and otherwise) genocide does is inform what we bitch and moan about happening in the United States.

There are plenty who "bitch and moan" about global atrocities as well. It's just a matter of perspective and topic.

I'm sure people in Greece spend a lot of time "bitching and moaning" about issues that are important to the people of Greece. Same thing for Spain. Same thing for Germany, Russia, Japan, etc.

Every day people bitch and moan about every day things everywhere.