I completely agree with Krugman that the late nineties were relatively optimistic times- after all it was the “end of history” per Fukuyama, when liberal ideals appeared to have triumphed. And with climate change, rising authoritarianism, the anxiety and depression epidemic, falling living standards, rising wealth inequality and do I need to go on, it is hard to deny that things aren’t great right now. So whether or not there’s a well known tendency for older people to complain that times are getting worse, that doesn’t mean they aren’t.