What
do today’s Youth
expect to see
happen over the coming decades? What do they want
to see happen? This
blog is based on a review of numerous articles and studies published
over the past two years and presents the following major findings
about the youth of
today.
Youth:
Defined as the time of life when one is young, and often means the
time between childhood and adulthood. It
generally refers
to individuals from the ages of 14 to 20.
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I
grew up in the 1960’s, a contentious time when the youth took to
the streets for what appeared to be years on end to protest the
Vietnam War, the military draft, civil rights, voting rights,
government leaders, music, and so many other issues. It was an
exciting time of challenges and change. Remembering those times, I
wondered what the youth of today were doing and saying about the
future. It wasn’t obvious to me.
While
the
youth of today are not noticeably
protesting that often in
the streets, that
doesn’t mean they aren’t actively out there protesting about the
many major issues and challenges facing them, e.g. overpopulation,
climate change, endless wars, terrorism, inequality, affordable
housing, and
so much more. In the ‘Information Age’ of the 21st
Century, they are out there protesting
and marching forward on the Internet, their
‘smartphones’,
and social
media
sites.
So
let’s take a look at what concerns them and what they want to see
happen over the coming decades. A good starting point was
to
search and review observations and findings posted in a
series of recent articles, blogs, and studies readily
available on the Internet.
Selected Articles
& Reports
According
to the United Nations (UN) Department of Economic & Social
Affairs, in
a world where climate change wreaks havoc on our economies, societies
and environment, where unemployment and inequalities are rampant, and
where trust in international cooperation is falling, what do
today’s youth believe the future holds for them? Read
The
Generation
that can Change
the World
– If
we let them and
the World
Youth Report
In
a recent
IPSOS
poll conducted in 15
countries, they found
that young people around the
world are generally
more optimistic about the
future than older generations. Despite facing much higher
unemployment rates, more instability and lower wages than their
predecessors, today’s youth are entering adulthood confident that
they can build a better future for themselves and for those that
follow. That’s good news.
According
to the 2018 IPSOS global
poll -
When
it comes to policy priorities - ending poverty (33%), improving
education (31%), and access to jobs (27%) are the top Sustainable
Development Goals for leaders to focus on worldwide according
to today’s youth.
In
higher income countries, climate change, gender
equality, and ending
conflicts are also
major
priorities.
Youth
in low and middle-income countries also
choose promoting health,
economic fairness, and
ending hunger as
major priorities.
Around
half of females around the
world think life is better
for men and boys than for women and girls.
In the United States (US), the
2018 poll found that -
US
youth are more optimistic than adults about the future
of their country
(Adults 56%, youth 64%) and the future of the world (Adults 51%,
youth 63%).
US
youth are 14% more likely than their adult peers to say that their
future living conditions
will be better.
US
youth are the happiest
higher income country when
asked about the impact that
their government has on their lives.
45% of US youth say that they
are knowledgeable about politics and government.
In the US, youth are more
likely than adults to say that they can make a difference in how
their country is governed, by a margin of 14 percentage points
(adults 35%, youth 49%).
78% of youth in the US say
that all people in their country have basic human rights (78%).
Only 7% of US youth say that
religion has the most positive impact on their lives.
59%
of youth in the US agree
that climate change poses a significant threat to their community.
From
a Youth
Activism
movement driving climate
action, to an organization expanding digital literacy among young
people, to a global youth network for gender
equality and reproductive
rights. Young
people everywhere appear to
be stepping in where they
believe previous generations
have failed.
A
group of teenagers in the US
has
filed
a lawsuit
claiming that the planet and its natural resources may have been
“so profoundly damaged” that the “plaintiffs’ fundamental
constitutional rights to life and liberty” are threatened. The
science is clear: at its current pace, climate change may
irreversibly break the sustainable limits of our planet, leaving
generations that are yet to be born to deal with the
disastrous consequences.
The issue with
future generations is that they have no seat at the table to claim
and defend their rights.
Read
The
Future is Becoming a Burden on the Young
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It
turns out that today’s
youth are not
a cohort of ‘screenagers’, ‘enfeebled youngsters’ and ‘couch
potatoes’, as
some older adults believe. As
the first generation to grow up alongside always-on
social media and smartphones, today’s young people are actually
busy bringing about
significant changes in social, cultural, business
practices, and political
behavior across
the world. Read about Gen Z - Out to Change the World
Young
people are not marching in the streets as much as they are
communicating, raising and discussing the major issues of the day in
massive online communities that the older generations are not
necessarily plugged into. They
are discussing and coming up with creative new ideas and innovative
solutions for the 21st
century with regards to such
areas as:
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Climate
Change
Clean
Alternative Energy
Civility
& Ethical Behavior
Social
& Financial Equality
Augmented
& Virtual Reality Technology
Robotics
& Artificial Intelligence
4th
Generation Manufacturing
21st Century Jobs & Knowledge Workers
-
Agriculture
& World Hunger
- Warfare,
Terrorism & Trade Wars
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