Britons are grouching, you argue, after so many years of economic growth (“On Hypochondria,” June 9, 2007). Surely, this conundrum must be attributed to a hypochondriac strand in the national character. Or must it? First, the situation is not all that different in America. Second, it goes back to Regan and Thatcher rather than Clinton or Bush and Blair. In both cases the conundrum vanishes as soon as we consider the growing economic inequality. In any society, no matter how successful in the aggregate, this is sure to dampen the enthusiasm of the electorate. Remember, people do not vote in the aggregate. And this should be the main lesson to politicians of both countries in the elections to come. In short, the diagnosis of hypochondria is for the birds.