I wonder if negative emotions are largely driven by pessimistic interpretations of reality, which then create a self-fulfilling cycle.
Perhaps one way to break the cycle is to demonstrate and maintain empirical results well beyond expectations, decreasing the validity of the pessimistic interpretation.
I suspect that this system exists and proliferates because the men with guns also generally enforce a fuzzy minimal standard of honesty and civility in society, leading to some degree of stability and general prosperity, which most people seem to desire.
It’s fascinating to watch what’s happening with digital currency, specifically the degree of market manipulation and social engineering driving people into outright scams.
I think that humans have a general tendency to exploit other humans, when they have the opportunity to do so. Of course, the degree of this exploitation varies widely, dependent on many factors.
One of the big factors affecting the degree of exploitation is how much social connection you have with a given individual — someone is unlikely to sustantially exploit their best friend, for example, (and this is why it’s so shocking and unsettling when it does happen) but clearly more likely to exploit a random internet stranger.
This applies to group identities as well — I’m more likely to treat members of my organization well than random strangers.
National cohesion has a similar effect, where it exists.
It might be interesting to promote social cohesion between economic classes, and pay close attention to the details of any difficulties encountered.