Unemployment and the Great Depression – A Little Bit of Perspective?

I see that we are in the Great Recession and have wondered what exactly the difference is from the Great Depression.  I haven’t seen bread lines like I saw in the pictures in my history books, and that’s definitely a difference.

However, when I hear unemployment numbers that have 10% unemployment and maybe as high as 17% with unemployment and those who have given up.  With family members who have been unemployed and searching for months, I have to wonder what the differences are.

Then tonight, I was watching a show on the History Channel.  During 1932, 1 in 4 Americans working adults were unemployed.  25% unemployment!  That’s a huge number.  Then, it pointed out that there was no unemployment, no social security. 

So, maybe a little perspective, as bad as it’s been (and, I’m well aware that it’s been tough), perhaps things are better than they could be.  Perhaps we’ll continue to see improvement in our economy. Perhaps we won’t continue to see number of sales slipping by 27%.

I guess I prefer to keep an optimistic attitude.  I don’t claim to unaware of what’s going on in our country. It would be hard when I deal with Orange County Short Sales every day, but this really gave me a sense of perspective.

What is your sense?  Will it get better?