The American Culture of Constant Positivity

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This chapter explores the American cultural expectation of constant positivity and how it contrasts with the experience of failure and loss. It delves into the historical context of economic booms and busts in the 19th century, where the idea of being a 'loser' emerged. The chapter discusses how this societal perception evolved over time, associating failure with personal flaws.

Have you ever been brought to tears by a TV commercial? Do you relish rainy days? Are your favorite songs sad ones? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you, dear listener, know the power of the bittersweet. It’s a feeling, an emotion, a way of being that Susan Cain explored in her #1 New York Times bestseller “Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole.” She spoke with Rufus about the book in April 2022, and it remains one of our favorite conversations — certainly one of the most moving — so today we’re sharing it again. We hope it gives you goosebumps.