These days even Norman Vincent Peale might have difficulty thinking positively about the upcoming presidential election America’s mainstream media will be obsessing about between now and Nov. 8.

Both major-party candidates are nearly as polarizing as they are wealthy and entitled. One presumptive nominee is an arrogant, unprincipled, crass huckster turned reality TV star who wears ignorance, racism and misogyny as badges of honor. When caught lying or exaggerating, an all-too-frequent occurrence, he merely doubles down on his prevarications, secure in the knowledge his frothing base of supporters won’t vote for his opponent no matter how outrageously or inappropriately he himself acts. His ceaseless war on civility makes him repellent to much of his party’s old guard, leaving his remaining supporter/ enablers with the perpetual challenge of how to make an egotistical, shameless narcissist without a shred of impulse control (and no apparent interest in developing any) seem more presidential.

His likely opponent has no problems appearing presidential. Unfortunately, the former commander in-chief whose persona most closely matches her own is the only one in American history to be forced from office in mid-term. Like the perennially distrustful and secretive Richard Nixon, she’ll tell her version of the truth when it suits her, but gets prickly when someone has the temerity to question her alltoo frequent improprieties.

Granted, some of her paranoia is justifiable. For decades, entire broadcast and internet “news” networks have dedicated themselves to her marginalization and/or personal destruction, shrilly and persistently presenting misinformation, rumors, and outright inaccuracies as “facts.” Such efforts have produced a rabid, emboldened, and rapidly increasing horde of willfully obtuse haters unable and/or unwilling to think rationally when it comes to her or to her husband. But recently the unattractiveness of the two presidential aspirants has taken a back seat to an astonishing spate of gun violence.

Last month, a hate-inspired individual went on a shooting spree in a Florida nightclub, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others.

Last week in Louisiana, a black man was fatally shot while two officers of the law held him prone on the ground. The following evening another African-American male in Minnesota was slain by a policeman while still sitting in the driver’s seat of his automobile after having been pulled over for having a nonfunctioning taillight. Witnesses equipped with cell phone cameras recorded each incident, and both damning videos quickly went viral on social media.

Twenty-four hours after that, a peaceful “Black Lives Matter” demonstration in Texas was shattered by the assassinations of five police officers who were on the scene to help assure the protesters’ safety. The perpetrator was upset over the incidents of the previous two nights and told hostage negotiators he wanted to kill white people, and particularly white police officers.

Lost in all the coverage of that horror were three additional shootings of police officers within 24 hours, incidents that occurred in Tennessee, Missouri and Georgia.

Deep-pocketed, influential special interests make it highly unlikely lawmakers will take any action to try and curb America’s ongoing epidemic of firearm-related slaughter. The Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, along with less notorious bits of deregulation, have accelerated the widening of America’s many cultural and social divides by enabling powerful organizations to dictate policy or, in the case of the National Rifle Association, cause perpetual inaction. Unfettered capitalism has arguably transformed America from a constitutional republic to a de facto oligarchy by creating an overabundance of craven politicians masquerading as leaders. Unfortunately, these individuals are in reality servants beholden first and foremost to their wealthy donors.

Given current unrest and the prospect of choosing between two spectacularly flawed candidates for the nation’s highest elective office, it’s easy to conclude America’s 240- year-old ongoing experiment in democracy is failing.

But some perspective is required.

For most people residing outside the United States, jobs are scarce, as are reliable sources of electricity. In much of the world, sewage leeches into drinking water, and rotting garbage accumulates on unpaved streets, spawning the rapid spread of disease. Wealthy, brutal dictators and/or theocrats maintain total control and power over entire nations through intimidation, producing societies where dissent or independent thought is potentially lethal. And in most third world nations, early death from starvation or sickness is, for too many, inevitable.

Twenty-first century America is far from perfect. Racism, abuse by (and of) police and the ease with which dangerous individuals can access military-style assault weapons are issues that need addressing sooner rather than later, as are immigration, health care, and income inequality. But Americans should be consciously grateful to live where and as they do. As odious as the prospect of a second President Hillary Clinton or a first President Donald Trump may be to some, no one residing in the United States should lose sight of how fortunate and privileged we truly are.

— Andy Young teaches in Kennebunk and lives in Cumberland.