WTF is wrong with the world today?

I am wondering why it is that people become so bitter and cynical? It is my opinion that this cynicism is the reason that the world is the way it is right now. I am not naive, I know that there are people that are going to screw others over because that is who they are... but not everyone is like that. It makes me sad for the future... for my children.

I was watching the news with Quentin yesterday. We were about 15 minutes in to the broadcast when Quentin turned to me and said, "there really is no good news, is there mom?". I laughed and said, "no son, it doesn't seem so, does it?". Murders, fires, death, cancer, recessions, recalls, accidents, abuse, theft... that was all in the first 15 minutes of the broadcast. How is it possible that there is not one single positive thing to report on? What is this teaching my son?

I'll tell you that I work my ass off to show my children that there is love and happiness in the world. To show them that there really is good out there but maybe I am sheltering them? Not preparing them for the reality that waits for them out there? I am scared to death about what they are going to face in 5, 10 even 15 years. It is a mother's natural reaction to want to protect her children... but I am not sure that I am that strong. It makes me wonder if I am just setting my children up to fail. As a mother, this is a horrible feeling to have.