OC HIGH: STUDENT NEWS AND VIEWS : Identity Seekers : Outlook: With a world seemingly teetering on ruin, many students think pessimism is the only response. But isn’t it really just another trend?

We live in a strange era, with our generation holding extremely negative and pessimistic views on life. Some of us have become indifferent and apathetic as well. One would inevitably pose the question: Why?

There could be two explanations. This lack of optimism may be the result of some pathetic trend, where we think it’s cool to be depressed. Or maybe we are experiencing the effects of a fallen world.

Trends affect every aspect of our lives. Everything from the clothes we wear to what we want out of life can be traced to some kind of trend.

The music we listen to seems to contain recurring themes of depression, lost hope and diffidence. If these songs are deemed cool, then the downcast themes tend to permeate our trend-based society. Literature, movies and the media also have legitimized dejection.

If we believe being an apathetic rebel is glamorous, it’s hard to resist becoming that desensitized fool--a fool because that sort of attitude has absolutely no benefits. This dismal pattern of thought leads to destructive behavior. If this pessimistic outlook on life is merely a trend, hopefully it will soon phase out.

The more frightful explanation is that the negative aspects about life nowadays have finally taken their toll on our hearts. This woeful explanation is definitely a possibility.

We are surrounded by a world seemingly teetering on ruin, a world that has not passed a decade without some kind of major war or crisis.

Money is not spent on the poor, sick and hungry. Our own country has enough weaponry to destroy life on the entire planet. There are riots in our streets. Crisis situations are on the rise. We are helpless citizens of a world with deteriorating morals.

Even so, the world’s troubles may be a bit distant and incomprehensible for many of us living in the narrower realm of suburbia. But there is melancholy close to home, too.

One is called insecurity. When appearance and success are everything, the college-bound student without a guarantee of success can feel hopeless. Financial security at the end of higher education is not so secure.

Then there’s the everlasting dilemma of boy meets girl, boy loves girl, girl hates guy, and vice versa. In the extreme, there can be violence following a parting.

There are, however, flaws in being a pessimist. Following some of the today’s lame trends might turn out to be a big mistake. And grieving over the evils in our world won’t get any of us anywhere.

Do something about it. Look for the good in everything; it’s always there.