Psychologists tell us that human beings are hard-wired with a “negativity bias” — meaning that we’re overly sensitive to bad news. And there is lots of it out there these days: the war in Ukraine, democratic travails in the United States, floods in Pakistan, drought in China (among other grim stories).

But we often miss the good news, especially if it doesn’t come in the form of a single event. One of the most striking positive trends in the world these days can be found in the democratic strength, character and leadership of Germany.