I feel like alarmist is a possibly misleading term for it but....
I like darker stories with happy endings. Escapist stuff just doesn't connect with me, and the wins don't feel as meaningful. Watching a character struggling with the same things I do, or far more difficult things, and still push on and succeed is a far more rewarding experience for me. I don't like cynical stories, but I like difficult ones.
I don't think any preference is wrong though! Some people see the world that want to create, a way they wished the world worked. Some people want to see their own experience, with all the ups and downs, reflected. Some people are exploring their fears in fiction to have a safe place to work through those emotions where they can click away. We all find different things healing and inspirational and comforting, which is why it's wonderful there's so many kinds of writers to provide that.