We have leaders who are 'unfailingly negative' about the country, says Harvard's Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks, AEI president emeritus, Harvard University professor and ‘Build The Life You Want’ author, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the disconnect between the recent upbeat economic data and consumer's pessimism about the overall economy, why we don't have a good culture of dealing with unhappiness

[@gmk91005]

In summary, wealthy CNBC reporters can be happy no matter what happens with inflation.

[@jordanwarner5432]

This was a 10 minute discussion panel that came to the insight conclusion of….”We just need to lower our expectations.” Lol these people are DELUSIONAL.

[@matthewgenovese8988]

This sounds like rich people not connecting to the shrinking middle class’ and the wage gap.

[@lembafranck3490]

Talk for yourself I m perfectly fine like many others

[@jolness1]

@@lembafranck3490 I am doing very well but if you look at the percentage of folks who are in the actual middle class, it has shrunk a lot since 1980. Same with home ownership, wage growth etc. "I'm fine" isn't a counterpoint to the middle class is shrinking. That's like someone in Nazi germany saying "the holocaust isn't real, I am doing fine" LOL.

[@whatwhy106]

Get a better job

[@jocko4598]

Income and wealth disparity is at the highest ever in our history. A very bad situation for both the poorest and richest in our country. Raise taxes on billionaires. Duhhh!

[@georgehenderson476]

That’s so pessimistic of you. Just be happier.

[@jordanslingluff287]

I agree we need better politicians. I dont agree a bunch of upper middle class/rich office workers telling people who are struggling to get over it. Thats pretty lame. Inflation has outpaced wage growth for years now. The boomers are the ones propping up spending. Everyone else is straped to their eyeballs. A lot of these people are working 60-80 hours a week just to have nothing. The underclass has grown to such a size it cant be ingored for much longer. Doing so ensures that our politics becomes even more radical.

[@jolness1]

And productivity gains have outpaced wages immensely. Minimum wage would be nearly $30 if it had kept pace with inflation and productivity. Not saying we raise it to $30 but it demonstrates why the discontent many feel isn't imaginary.

[@georgehenderson476]

This is just pessimism. When the rich Harvard guy tells you to be happy you should just do it because he’s smart and works at Harvard!

[@jordanslingluff287]

@@georgehenderson476 Yeah it's funny he recognizes our political system going down hill but he's not smart enough to recognize it's because people are getting so desperate. We got one guy talking about handouts for everyone and the other one is talking about burning down the system.

[@georgehenderson476]

@@jordanslingluff287 right wing nut jobs like this guy love to make political issues about nonsense like “happiness” because it doesn’t threaten rich people’s money

[@YourFoodBank]

High expectations? These “leaders” intentionally normalize unhappiness and then direct you to straw men to take your frustrations out on

[@goat7844]

You got buyers and sellers. He is selling Bulls**t.

[@PeterParker-wj3cr]

The world is more political now. Especially here in America. Now that we are so divided. It's nothing but negativity through all media platforms. Pessimism is pervasive. Doom and gloom sells. Also now to add to fuel to the fire, its opinion over facts. If you disagree with me i have to hurl childness insults your way..etc. America and the world at large has reached a dark place.

[@Openminder321]

Another overpaid ivory tower professor who wants to lecture the country on what they "should" be feeling.

[@waynekirshner7155]

People are pessimistic because basic needs for the lower class has become unaffordable. The wife and I go out for a nice dinner and have to walk by a ton of homeless and that takes away from what we’re doing. How can I enjoy myself when hundreds of thousands are homeless it’s a wild time right now.

[@arvindliv]

Absolutely love Brooks. I'd love to see him more on CNBC.

[@TonyKingOfTheOzone]

Thanks millionaire man, alls i needed was positivity. Who would have thought it was so simple? I cant wait for this generation to be forgotten by the tides of history.

[@georgehenderson476]

Writing a book lecturing people about why they’re bad for not being happy is one of the saddest things you can do as a human

[@whatwhy106]

Get a better job

[@TonyKingOfTheOzone]

@@whatwhy106 Making good money little boy, get a better thesis.

[@danielkrall6501]

You make your own reality. Sounds to me like your reality is miserable, and you probably make those around you miserable as well. I'm really glad I don't know you, because your kind of negativity is toxic.

[@minjikim2161]

I think defense spending should be lowered, a lot of corruption with that sector

[@paulreynolds2569]

On the other hand, on balance, WE SURE CONSUME FAR BEYOND OUR MEANS and we live in a country that allows us to make choices that can turn our personal prospects around. And thats a good thing!

[@alexanderbelyaev9820]

When you make ends meet, yes yiud be pretty unhappy

[@matthewgenovese8988]

This is bull. Before COVID I could afford a home above the one I own over time. Now that’s not true. That’s why I am down.

[@Chris-xv7wd]

Stop voting for leftist!!

[@whatwhy106]

Get a better job

[@bps7209]

Don’t worry be happy!!! Why are you asking someone who is rich why they’re not happy? Ask someone who is poor and have absolutely no idea how to get out of the poverty trap they’re in. Just be happy and comply, because they are happy.

[@goat7844]

Oprah found herself a new Dr. Phil

[@ponder2006]

You don’t want a happy leader, that is for kids. You want mature adult in leadership which is lacking today.

[@tswierczek]

Looking at a macro picture of the world one would be right most of the time by picking the optimistic answer to any questions. The world is in a far better spot in almost every category than it was decades ago.

[@cozyslor]

Except the NY Jets

[@GregRyanFitness]

What freakin planet do you live on?????

[@willtwain1383]

Leesman fell in the right-wing trap. People Steve's age are getting their Social Security. Steve, you should know better.

[@chriscaventer6031]

Toxic Optimism

[@jalalcsri9031]

Instead of MAGA, America needs MAHA: Make America Happy Again.

[@lawrencesullivan3307]

My parents of the Depression/WW II years made about $10,000 a year while today my wife and I make $140,000 a year because of educational opportunities and we should according to the naysayers be "negative."

[@lakeguy65616]

so speaks the liberal

[@obijuan3004]

This is the best conversation on CNBC. You create your own happiness.

[@Chris-xv7wd]

Leftist

[@user-gh9ke9eg3t]

These men are living in a nice big house, having big retirement, do they really know majority American families issues?! They should speak for themselves

[@dronestarmedia4341]

Great discussion

[@bigbubba4314]

He is accurate regarding corporate leadership. However, corporate leaders can be changed by the decision of a few board members. Corporate leaders can’t tax their employees, and waste the money on silly things, then tax them even more. His assessment of the public is nonsense. Corporate leaders can declare bankruptcy, and stop the spending. Our government can’t and won’t.

[@weisong3917]

Brooks doesn’t want to address how America is going get out of the debt and how retirees will face social security crisis. Out of touch blind optimism

[@whatwhy106]

This was an awesome interview! Kudos Brooks!

[@ohimeni]

I heard next political slogan will be; "Let the hate flow through you".

[@eggsinsideme]

lol a roundtable of multi-millionaires telling us how great things are going and to just be happy.

[@RampageRilla]

Unfortunatly, the great depression 2.0 is still to come. People think this will happen fast. Slowly at first then all at once.

[@KenjiEspresso]

Pay people more.

[@Chris-xv7wd]

We had boomers who run the future into oblivion. The game has changed

[@ceegee4875]

Vivek MAHAswamy 2024 🇺🇸

[@iali00]

This guy is out of his mind. We have one of the lowest upward mobility rates in the developed world.

[@WalterSear]

This is as surreal and disconnected from reality as a Russian TV propaganda show.

[@ThiccBoi23]

He's spot on

[@ronsilva7394]

Obama spoke with hope . We know only now what he was all about .

[@user-tb8ro5ik7w]

This guy is awesome

[@SigFigNewton]

Some factually incorrect statements. Like when he says that we’re the most upwardly mobile society in history. The reality is that we’re less upwardly mobile than we used to be and less upwardly mobile than much of Europe currently is.

[@ThaBroskeez]

What a bad argument- everything is great huh? Millennials can’t afford a home cost of living is significant - debt is going higher - these tech layoffs have now come back at 25-30% less pay for even more responsibilities- there’s been a war on remote work because every business and investor is to invested in commercial real estate and have no real arguments against it. Blind optimism is not a working strategy- I’ll admit the news is always negative sometimes for no reason - but again blind optimism sets us up for wreck

[@chrisjoyce6321]

What alternate reality is this fella living in. When so many people in the US are living paycheck to paycheck, with no savings, his view cant align with reality. The dude thinks bumber stickers are going to solve the US problems...not so.

[@chavruta2000]

dont worry be happy and buy my book

[@teebone2157]

Arthur Brooks is out of touch. Prices are a HUGE issue and corporations refuse to adjust prices with inflation AKA LOWER prices. Pepsi got banned in Europe's largest grocery store chain due to price gouging

[@tuttut1845]

All of these people are millionaires

[@FreaksSpeaks]

Oprah co-authored? 😂

[@willtwain1383]

This proves we have an extremely right-wing media.

[@onedroprule]

My 401k and stock portfolio haven't looked this good in years. Thanks Joe 🇺🇲

[@Sockmnkey]

At 6:15 when Arthur is laying out an ideal message from a leader he is almost describing Vivek Ramaswamy to a T. Vivek2024

[@aaronwhite3119]

Make America Happy Again.... Hahaha :)

[@johntaylor4817]

“Let’s just say it the republicans are the problem.” This was written in 2012. “The GOP has become an insurgent outlier in American politics. It is ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition. When one party moves this far from the mainstream, it makes it nearly impossible for the political system to deal constructively with the country’s challenges.” - Ornstein and Mann

[@mikespindler7250]

what a polyanna

[@tonymeinerding7463]

trump - the ultimate downer and fox news so down!!

[@warsongtristan6649]

Harvard lol

[@christiancoronado]

Much better without Andrew and the other old guy

[@joekerr3638]

Joe?

[@christiancoronado]

​@joekerr3638 Yes, I don't like him. He mumbles a lot and thinks he is smarter than he actually is

[@willl6303]

Andrew’s normally pretty good, but unfortunately has to babysit or balance Joe most of the time. Part of the reason why i stopped watching cnbc.

[@user-vj2dw8pi5g]

Trump is very positive :) :) :) NOT

[@Kevin-eg6vg]

Bitcoin is hope.