Can outrage and optimism coexist? Most of us Americans know the importance of voicing our political opinions. But while we harp on the things that bother us, can we balance political discontent with optimism?(CULTURAL CURRENTS)

No matter how bleak things may appear, we should always feel optimistic. Those who fought the idea of slavery, both white and black, could see it was the right thing to do. Women who sought the right to vote knew if they fought hard enough and long enough, it would happen. Our nation was formed because of its Founders' relentless pursuit of freedom, and their optimism that it could be achieved. They followed a goal and knew that if they fought for their freedom and promoted honesty, they'd have a country that all others can aspire to. Our optimism keeps us reaching for the stars--literally. Our technological capabilities are second to none. We are a people who live in a country that is structured to allow anyone the possibility to use what talents God has given them to the best of their abilities.

When I was a young boy, my summer duty was to wash and dry dishes for the family. I remember whining to my mother, "Why do I always have to do the dishes?" She would always say, "Don't complain unless you have a proper solution to the problem, or unless there's blood involved."

With three brothers there was always a chance for blood, but I got her point. It was her way of saying that if I didn't do my job, I'd need to find someone who could, and then trade jobs with that person. Mom made the meals, cleaned our clothes, ironed, and kept up with the house cleaning. I wasn't about to trade with her. My two older brothers worked for my dad moving cases and kegs of beer. I was too small for that. Then it hit me. "How about getting a dishwasher?"

She looked at me with a half-smile. "Now how in the world would you be paying for that? Besides, you're my dishwasher."

She had me there. But, I didn't give up. I was determined that this kitchen torture wasn't going to be my purpose in life. I saved every penny I could. By the following summer I had earned enough money to buy a used portable dishwasher. Well, that's not entirely true. I had barely saved enough for the soap. My dad kicked in the rest so that I could start working for him at the store. But, you get the point. Optimism has a way of correlating with self-esteem, psychological well-being, personal health, and getting out of dish detail.

There is much turmoil in the world. We know that because the media feeds us bad news every day. We live in a world that thrives on money, and tragedy sells. Martin Seligman, recognized as the world's preeminent psychological authority on optimism, wrote the book Learned Optimism. He criticizes academics for their focus on pessimism, saying that in the last three decades of the 20th century, journals published 46,000 psychological papers on depression and only 400 on joy. His criticism of this disparity stems from the fact that everyone can be optimistic and that optimistic people are successful people. His research found that rather than having an inborn trait of greatness, optimistic people develop a way of explaining events that does not see defeat as permanent. Optimism involves a set of skills which can be learned.

America is the ultimate environment to develop those skills. Because of our history and our governmental structure, we are free to express ourselves in the marketplace of ideas.