In 1999, they end up at the same levels as coloureds who got slightly more dissatisfied and the Asians who got somewhat more positive. The white line, although still the lowest of all, follows an upward trend. Whites became more dissatisfied or rather less content with their living conditions. The trends within these demarcated illustrations of social change bring us to stage where racial differences have lost weight in the explanation of variation in dissatisfaction. A related though different sketch reflects people's expectations for the future.
Whites seem to get more negative about their living conditions.
However, they do not seem to get more pessimistic. On the contrary, although they constantly show the highest levels of pessimism, sombre view among this group has slightly lightened up. Coloureds, on the other hand, have exchanged their optimism for a bleaker outlook on the future. In 1999, they share their pessimism with the Asians, whose views do not seem to have changed. Africans lost some of their feelings of euphoria, but as all the four colour lines suggest, expect their situation will improve in the next five years.