It makes sense that more developed countries would have lower optimism. If the previous generation already had a decent quality-of-life, there's less reason to assume that the next generation will have it even better. Developing countries are more likely to have significant recent salient difficulties that the next generation will no longer have.
If the previous generation already had a decent quality-of-life, there's less reason to assume that the next generation will have it even better.
I do agree that the rate of improvement may be lower for already highly developed countries. And that the difficulties solved in developing countries may have a much larger positive impact then small steps in more developed countries.
But there's no artificial upper limit to quality-of-life. You wont hit a barrier and be forced to stagnate and go down: there's so many issues in today's societies that need solving.
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It makes sense that more developed countries would have lower optimism. If the previous generation already had a decent quality-of-life, there's less reason to assume that the next generation will have it even better. Developing countries are more likely to have significant recent salient difficulties that the next generation will no longer have.
I do agree that the rate of improvement may be lower for already highly developed countries. And that the difficulties solved in developing countries may have a much larger positive impact then small steps in more developed countries.
But there's no artificial upper limit to quality-of-life. You wont hit a barrier and be forced to stagnate and go down: there's so many issues in today's societies that need solving.
I imagine you are both right: the apples are farther up the tree.