[News] Is Joe Biden's win a turning point in a hard year of bad news?

[_Happy boy]

 

’d describe myself as a realist. In the past, friends have described me as a pessimist, probably because I tend to err on the side of the very worst thing happening. When it’s come to 2020, my realism has been working very hard, and my friends have joined me in that. They don’t call me a pessimist any more, because actually there’s been very little to be optimistic about. It has been one thing after another. So many little hits of pain and disappointment.When it came to the US election, though, I was hopeful. The part of me that has always adjusted to expecting and preparing myself for the worst was dormant. I even surprised myself. We’ve all had such a hard time, and so consistently, that bad news had become predictable. Some part of me knew that we had to have one positive outcome from this year (or maybe even two, with the possible new vaccine breakthrough). And I think that some part of all of us, whether or not we live in the US, or have friends or family there, pinned on it a sense of life, on the whole, getting better. In some way, perhaps the US election ended up symbolising the light at the end of a tunnel we never thought we’d emerge from.… just when we need it the most. Millions of readers around the world are flocking to the Guardian in search of honest, authoritative, fact-based reporting that can help them understand the biggest challenge we have faced in our lifetime. But at this crucial moment, news organisations are facing a cruel financial double blow: with fewer people able to leave their homes, and fewer news vendors in operation, we’re seeing a reduction in newspaper sales across the UK. Advertising revenue continues to fall steeply meanwhile as businesses feel the pinch. We need you to help fill the gap.We believe every one of us deserves equal access to vital public service journalism. So, unlike many others, we made a different choice: to keep Guardian journalism open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This would not be possible without financial contributions from those who can afford to pay, who now support our work from 180 countries around the world.

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