Optimism — the expectation of a better tomorrow — is universal, according to a new worldwide Gallup poll. Around the world, 95 percent of people expect their lives in five years to be as good as or better than they were five years ago.

Notable by the pessimism of its people is Egypt. Joining Egypt are Bulgaria, Haiti and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe and Haiti are understandable, the former having witnessed severe economic and political strife recently. The latter is the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere.

Bulgaria I can't comment on due to my lack of information on. It is kind of surprising that a country that recently joined the European Union would be so pessimistic.

As for Egypt it is understandable, yet sad: dictatorship, stifling of any opposition, leading to stagnation in politics, economy, and even culture. A once mighty regional powerhouse and exported of knowledge, culture and expertise, has been relegated by its own doing to stagnation, poverty and misery.

• Kansas City Star.
• BBC Arabic news article.
• BBC Arabic forums.

(Thanks to my friend Raouf for the original pointer to this).