This is the 13th post in the Bias Study

Declinism is the belief that a society or institution is tending towards decline. Particularly, it is the predisposition, possibly due to cognitive bias, such as rosy retrospection, to view the past more favorably and future negatively.

I can honestly say that this is something I struggle with daily.

Interestingly  Wikipedia states that the United States has had a history of this since the 50’s. I thinking about this I must also have a little of the Availability Bias in me as well. Possibly this is a natural phenomenon, maybe we get more prone to declinism as we age.

It follows, that we long for “the good old days” and fall prey to “this new Generation is killing us” traps.  As I peal back this onion  I think every one since ever has thought this.

So anyway, I think that naming things helps you realize that they exist. Further, I think that when you find out that something has a name, it let you know others have had this same experience.

So I think the way to combat this is to remember that everyone has a little of this in them. If you feel yourself getting down on the current situation and thinking that the world is falling apart, you aren’t the first to do so and will probably not be the last.

But here we are. Sill around.