I must confess I don't get this post. The argument seems to boil down to "things could be worse, so stop complaining".

There's a cynical proverb in Brazil, used to pretend to justify conformism: "If the rape is unavoidable, just relax and enjoy".

This post seems to get too close to it.

When I complain about the state of something in the US, I sometimes get told, "This is the best country on the planet!" My answer is always, "It got that way by people like me always making it better."

Just because something is the best is no reason to stop improving it.

Telling everyone to just sit back and be amazed at their luck for living at this time and place in history is, IMO, sad. We can do better and we will do better. Progress is our purpose.

Well said. I always cherish things that make me step back from my normal viewpoints, and remind me of how lucky we are.

It's almost certain that anyone reading this site is in the luckiest top 10% of the world, having access to food and internet and enough money to fly as to be bothered by it.

If you have a job that you like (which a lot of us do), and is well paying, that probably narrows you down into the top 5%. Congrats, and sit back and enjoy it.

Happy Holidays!

It's great to remember how lucky we are.

However, don’t let this distract from our shortcomings (as a society). And be especially careful when things are moving in the wrong direction.

When things get worse, do not settle for less. That's not gratitude; it's submission.

The fix for flying in the US is to finally, really invest in high speed rail all over the country. When you have the option of a roomy, relaxed seat on a train that doesn't take much longer (once the time spent in the airport is factored in), the air travel industry will shape up. And they will use their ill-gotten influence in Congress to bring TSA along for the ride.

Yes, 30 minutes of "security" checks and body scanners are a problem.

It is a matter of PRINCIPLE.