I try to look at everything from several different gradations of hope and despair. Look at the darksome view, and then look at the sweetness and light view. That said, looking at the last however-many years, one thing that would falsify the darksome view is that I managed to find an academic editing opportunity, which although paying a small fraction of market rates for work that was very difficult at times, enabled me to get on a plane and nomad through southern Europe for a couple of years or so (it wouldn't have been sufficient for a stateside existence). At first, this seems to conclusively establish that there is at least a sliver of light of good fortune in the general mix. But then -- a counter argument arises -- this was work for a foreign corporation, and it would have been very tempting for some people simply to omit it from the taxes completely, which would of course have been a massive crime, however desperate the circumstances. Of course, for many reasons, not the least of which is the massive investment in legal education, I told Uncle Sam about the funds regularly.
So there's still at least a theoretical chance that the darksome view controls, Dover Beach, end of the innocence, work for us or die, etc., etc.
But that minimum sufficiency, however insufficient in the home country, allowed me to make a jump and do real work for a bit. That's the bit that counts.
Still trying with all my soul to get back there -- the theatre festival in Transylvania is a little over a month away. But until the Return from Egypt:
Hic Rhodus, Hic Salta.