Do the young of today feel optimism for their future?

20, In a job I really don't mind turn up, no pressure do what I do then go home I somehow see it difficult for there to be a way out into doing what I would "like" to do then again isn't it for everyone :)
 
I'll be 31 next week so not sure if that counts as young (probably not) but I'd say I have a fairly middle ground - I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic about the future.

I think I read the otherday that NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) for 18-24yos was approaching 20% which is quite worrying.
 
Optimistic about what? $500 oil, war over resources and an increasing environmental tax burden whilst living in an overpopulated world?
 
Im 19 and has just started at a great job which will sort me out for life, but I just feel like, whats the point in anything?

We work all week so we can afford overpriced material possessions and give a huge chunk of our earnings to the tax man so he can waste it on making our lives harder to live. That describes 90% of peoples lives in the UK especially.
 
Age: 16

I'm optimistic myself I always try and find the good in people and things. But however even though I have a plan on what I want to do in the future the current events on the news etc is making the future look awful. Global warming, lack of fossil fuels, corrupted government's, Over populated etc...

Basically your generation had your fun but didn't preserve and leave the world in the same state you had it when you had your fun. So my generation will have to have a not as good life as yours and make sure the world is in a good state for the next. Bit unfair but you just have to take it as it comes.

But I hope this wont be too much trouble and that I will be able to have a great life and enjoy my time on Earth.

Dreading the idea of the possibility of WW3.
 
So, Optimism:

Personally - Somewhat. I have a decent career, good wage, a small (but close) circle of friends, good family. I tend to go through phases of depression as of late though.

I do have a yearning to move out and start afresh. The company I work for at the moment has their HQ's in America (Concord, MA), so perhaps in a year or two I could work over there. Perceptions may change if I find a nice lady though

Outside of my little bubble - Not at all. It may just be me, but are we experiencing a increased rate of natural disasters? Other than that, war, economy, attitudes. Meh. Seems like we're going down the pan.
 
For those older seeking optimism in the younger members....what did you actually feel optimistic about when you were in a similar position? What did you have as your priorities, being happy? Money? Women? Travel?

I've worked pretty hard in recent years after I screwed up at school. (D at a-level in computing, fixed it to an A the year after.) Now bar any major screw ups I will come out with a first. I was in the final stages for major companies and their top jobs however lost out in the final stage. I have secured a few jobs but only at home and not exactly what i was after, though potentially one in england attached with a part time masters but again not exactly a stellar job.

I've scored top marks in one of my years and uni, got paid to play competitive rugby, became the first UK student to do a study exchange in south korea. I feel I got to do some pretty cool things but now things same a bit stale. Im an injured mess and returning to my original size/playing standard seems unlikely. Clearly the job I will secure won't be as good as one I felt I could achieve. Travel seems limited as my gf will be stuck in the UK for the next 2 years and most grad programmes last that long. Happiness? Maybe if I get my first I guess and manage to stay injury free for any length of time

Oh and my year away was properly immense, NI seems horridly small and boring, moreso than before. Plus due to work levels in comparison to time spent having fun last year, well....:(
 
eyyaz said:
17 (18 in march).

Not optimistic in most cases, always find myself just giving up when i start something. Even when i get motivated and pumped to do something i tend to drop it the next day. Guess im set for the future (job wise) since there is a family business but still feel i could have done better.
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The family business thing is awkward, Im 25 and work for my dad as a plumber and I went straight into it when I left school. I knew the job was there so I had a laugh at school, never really tried and as a result, got some crap GCSE's. Seems great at the time, your mates are in and out of jobs and you have a wage every week/month.

Ive been working for 9 years now and I really feel im stuck in a rut, recently I looked at other possible jobs and really im stuck in the same profession or near enough.

Im at the position where me and the girlfriend are looking at buying a house so we have a few years saving ahead of us, the money every week is what keeps me working and now im used to having it I can't really be paid much less.

Ive had and still do have visions of moving abroad and starting somewhere new, now is the time in my life to do this. I do however feel I owe it to my granddad to stay and keep the company he started going when my dad retires, they've both worked hard to keep it.
My grandparent are getting older and only last month my gran died, how would you deal with this if you lived a long haul flight away?


On the OP's topic I don't really feel great about my future prospects living in the UK, the weather is maybe the main reason I feel I need to get out. Everyone is happier when the sun is out and its warm, I think this goes a long way in life.

I dont have visions of big houses and flash cars, maybe a better than average lifestyle and a nice house. Enough money not to have to worry about bills etc. Just somewhere where I can wake up to a nice sunny day and a job I enjoy, doing work that I choose.

Nice weather and a stress free life. Simple but they're the things I think would make me happy.
 
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I am 26 - so not sure if that counts as young any more, but I am pretty opimistic.

I have good prospects for the future and I am doing pretty well now also.

It doesn't matter what is going on around you there are always opportunities.
 
22 here. I've got a job which I'm grateful for which does offer opportunities for growth. However, I don't see myself being able to afford to move into my own place for at least a couple of years. Feel like life will just trundle along for us. I don't see what can be so exciting about the future if it just contains more of the same.
 
26.... currently renting. Finding it hard to get on the property ladder because you require a down payment. Struggling because the house prices are so high. I'm not one of the lucky ones with parents dishing out their pennies or relatives for that matter.

Kinda sticking on the floor with my own two feet and it's only going to get worse for everyone over time unless prices stop fluctuating so much.

I work full time but not sure where its heading to be fair as I am in the public sector, I think we all just gotto watch this space because the lucky might not be so lucky and vice versa.
 
I find it hard to know whether I should be optimistic or not about the future. I'm 23, I have a decent job which is going to keep moving forward hopefully (I'm a teacher), I have a lovely boyfriend and feel like life is going to be good.

But on the other hand I worry constantly about the financial side of things especially from what I hear all the time on the news. I worry we're going to really struggle to get our own house, renting at the moment, seems as though my parents' generation were the ones who've really been able to make money from their property and build a real nest egg for the future that I will struggle to find, I worry that the price of petrol is going to get so high that I'm going to be priced off the road... I think maybe I'm just a worrier.
 
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Right now, pessimistic. But thats probably because of the last 2+ months of depression :S
Things are on the up though, and once I get back on form I'll be relatively optimistic.

I'm never worried for my personal future, I know I'm good enough to do well no matter what changes, but I feel the rest of the world is going down the ******


Edit: Oh I'm 19
 
No point in being pessimistic - you've got to the do the best you can with whatever challenges face you. Keep positive and work towards being positive. :)
 
Of course, I ain't one to generally worry about the future and like living for the moment.

But I know I will enjoy it, why not?
 
Sampsy said:
I really do beleive that many people end up in a negative mindset and begin to beleive that they cannot do anything and blame that on exterior entities, rather than looking at how they can improve themselves.
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Yep, I'll worry about being oppressed by the "current climate" after I've straightened every aspect of myself out.
 
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