At a moment when people seem to disagree on almost everything, there is an encouraging surprise beneath the headlines: We have not given up on one another.

As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, many are taking stock of the republic we have inherited, and they are voicing concern. A new NBC News national survey, sponsored by More Perfect and the Daniels Fund, showed that many people believe the country’s best years may be behind it. Most say the American dream is harder to attain than it was a generation ago. Confidence in institutions ranging from Congress to the national news media has fallen to historic lows.