Charles, C. L. (1999). Why Is Everyone So Cranky: The Ten Trends Complicating Our Lives And What We Can Do About Them. New York, New York: Hyperion.
Charles asserts that the present society is in the grasp of some alarming trends that taken together appear to be an "anger epidemic" (1999, p. 1). As she states, "it's not simply a lack of manners, it's an open hostility" (p. 1). In this section, Charles sets forth two tests for screening for "crankiness" and stress, as well as advice on how the reader should use her book to their advantage. This includes taking the quizzes at the beginning of each chapter. She also suggests that those who think they are dangerously at their breaking point go straight to Chapter 13: The Emergency Department for a quick fix and diagnosis before moving onto those chapters that might be the most helpful.
Chapter 1: The Whining Turns to a Roar (pages 9-26)
In order to demonstrate how the cranky trends came about, Charles covers a brief history of the last 50 years. She covers from the hope and possibility of the 1950s, to the skeptical '60s, the sassy '70s, the egotistical '80s, and finally the nasty '90s, where she says "talk is cheap" (1999, p. 14).
One of the most significant changes during this time, asserts Charles, is how the expectation of something better, the American Dream, has become confused with entitlement (1999). An example of this problem is shown in the "Cranky Code," where the first statement announces, "I am entitled to what I want when I want it" (p. 20). However, just as crankiness is a communicable condition, so the opposite is true, "one by one, with small but steady force, we can make a difference" (p. 26).
Chapter 2: Compressed Time (pages 27-58)
In this chapter, Charles points out that each device and method that has been invented as a time-saving option has actually created less time. Because with each time-saving device that is introduced into everyd...