lots of self-selected negativity extroverts! but the fraction of the public that likes socially describing themselves in ways that might be interpreted, or they themselves might interpret, as “loser” may be very small. 1/

the people we hear from are generally political re-appropriators, trying to turn what the mainstream takes as a defect into a marker of virtue by reframing personal failure as political oppression. 2/

but until “queer” had very clearly been retaken as a proud marker of identity, most gay people resisted calling themselves queer, it was still associated with humiliation. 3/

similarly, until it’s the mainstream view that economic disappointment is political rather than personal failure, many people will resist characterizing themselves as economically disappointed, i think. /fin