Why we think of the future

Everyday people discuss, dream of or dread the future. It can be scary, exciting and in many cases unpredictable. As a young person, it is one of the most reoccurring thoughts in my day to day life. You may ask why I think so often on this topic? Maybe it is just my nature, as I am rather organised and enjoy the thought of knowing which direction I am heading; however I do not believe that this alone leaves me to debate over such a topic in my conscious. A combination of factors have certainly led our entire generation particularly to often think on the future.

The growing pressures surrounding job availability, much due to a growing population threatens the concept of everyone having the career they desire, and therefore many people tend to think on their future at a much earlier age than ever before. The difficult economic climate creates worry for stability, especially in a world of ever growing consumerism. The world wide issue of global warming has been thrust in the faces of young people such as myself since the early days in education. This, combined with witnessing the coverage of a series of natural disasters which have been frequent, certainly provides a reason to worry, even if only subconsciously, about the fate of our planet. Despite these worries over the future, there are many exciting and positive prospects which are slowly arising such as the advancement in medicine, will it be long before we find a cure for the big C? The fast developing rate of technology brings people across the world together in more ways than ever before which is a truly exciting prospect! Moreover, for young people such as myself who are forever bombarded with ideas surrounding careers, there are jobs and careers developing which had never previously existed!

Therefore, should we be concerned over our futures from a young age, and be more than just aware of the declining stability of our planet? Ultimately, to what degree should we be discussing and debating over our future?