Americans have long been known for their optimism, but that trait has withered in recent years. Across a range of social and political issues, polls show Americans are now distinctly pessimistic. Yet, many of the beliefs that drive up pessimism are counterfactual. We, along with the rest of the world, face grave challenges. A distorted view of the past, present, and future saps many people’s sense of well-being, often with tragic consequences. Without trivializing either the problems we face, or the suffering people must endure, we will look at scientific evidence for happiness about our present and hope for our future.