I get a lot of people who are absolutely sure nothing will change; Ds won't pass anything; we're all doomed.

Pessimism is certainly understandable, but we're in a really unprecedented situation right now.

we just had a fascist insurrection and the first violent transition of power in more than 150 years. there's a pandemic worse than anything in 100 years. there's an economic crisis worse than anything in probably 90 years.

if you think you know what's going to happen with 100% certainty, that's...overly certain.

as @Quinnae_Moon was saying, declaring that it's all over can be a way to feel like you have control over what's happening. hope can be more anxiety provoking in some ways.

also it means you don't really have to do anything, if it's all over.

I think there's a narrow path to things getting better, but we've already dodged a couple bullets. won GA election; Biden hasn't decided the deficit means we should do nothing; fascist insurrection failed; GOP more discredited than I'd figured they'd be.

everything could still go to shit for sure. and people are dying at horrifying rates.

so I wouldn't recommend rampant optimism either. just, all hope isn't lost, I'd say.