It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Have you ever asked yourself when was America great? And what makes a time or place feel great?

A YouGov survey shows that feeling— greatness, isn’t about what’s going on in the world or some government policy — it's much more subjective than that, it’s about how old we were at the time. 

On average, people think the world peaked around their 11th birthday. For me, that’s 1995. 

Between ages 8 and 11, we think our families were happiest, our news — reliable, and the world was a moral and decent place.

The best economy, according to our collective memories, was somewhere between turning 12 through our 15th birthday. That time had the best radio, television, and movies too. 

While music, fashion, athletes, and sporting events, well, they're always better when they're from our late teens years.

On the other hand, as we age our view of the world sours, people often believe that the "worst" of times is right now, whenever now is.

Just another reason I believe, people don’t grow up. They get old. Our circumstances change, and we past a certain point rarely do.

What do you think? Was the best music in your life from your teen years? And was the best time of your life?

Let me know in the comments and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.

On that note, I'm James Brown, and as always, be well.