Americans are losing confidence. But the world knows better.

Over the past two months, I have traveled around the United States and in parts of Europe, often talking about my new book, “Age of Revolutions,” which describes how we are living through a period of deep disruption — in society, politics, economics and international affairs. I got the sense that people, even those well off and educated, were unsettled by these disruptions and fearful that they were leading us into darker times. Many of the questions at my book talks went something like, “Is there anything to be hopeful about these days?” After Thursday night’s depressing debate, people are feeling more despair than ever. So I want to explain why, despite all the dangers, I remain an optimist.

In Europe, many are fearful that a Donald Trump victory in November could lead them into a new and dangerous world. They believe that the United States could turn its back on Europe, unraveling the continent’s security architecture. As one European statesman said to me, “We in the West have lived in a stable, peaceful, open world, and we take it for granted. But we now face all these challenges, external and internal, and it can all come apart.”

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