I was recently in the UK and a friend there expressed a similar pessimistic sentiment— "things are really bad here, the whole world is going down the drain". B

I was recently in the UK and a friend there expressed a similar pessimistic sentiment— "things are really bad here, the whole world is going down the drain". Back where I'm from, things aren't looking as bleak as they are in the UK. I found that comment amusing really. The assumption that since Britain has historically been wealthy and a one of the better places to live, if things are not looking great there, they must be so everywhere or something.