How to stop worrying about the future?
The story
I keep asking myself this question every day: how to stop worrying about the future? Because honestly, I don’t have a clue. Maybe I used to, back when life felt predictable, when you went to school, got a degree, found a job, and stuck with it until retirement. But now? Now everything is changing so fast, I feel like I can’t even keep up. And it’s not my future that keeps me up at night—it’s theirs. My kids. They’re still young, still in school, but I keep thinking, what will the world look like when it’s their turn to step into it? What will jobs even look like in 15 years? We tell them to study hard, to pick a career they love, but what if those careers don’t even exist by the time they get there? What if everything we’re teaching them now is useless in a world run by AI, automation, and technology that doesn’t even exist yet? It terrifies me. Because how am I supposed to guide them when I don’t even know what’s ahead?
I see it already—companies replacing workers with algorithms, AI writing code, making art, answering customer service calls. I read articles saying entire industries will disappear, that jobs we once thought were secure won’t exist anymore. And the worst part? Nobody seems to know what will replace them. I try to imagine what my kids will do when they’re grown. Will they need a degree, or will universities be irrelevant? Will they compete with machines for work? What if no matter how smart, how hardworking they are, it won’t be enough because the rules of the game will have changed? I want to tell them that if they study, if they put in the effort, they’ll be okay. But I don’t know if that’s true. And that’s what scares me the most. I try to remind myself that every generation has faced uncertainty, that the future has always been unpredictable, that worrying won’t change anything. But the truth is, I feel powerless. I can’t stop the world from changing, and I can’t guarantee that they’ll be ready for it. All I can do is teach them how to adapt, how to think critically, how to keep learning even after school ends. Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe instead of worrying about what jobs will exist, I should focus on raising kids who can handle whatever comes. Because in the end, the future isn’t something I can control—it’s something they’ll have to navigate on their own. And maybe, just maybe, that will be enough.

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i hear you loud and clear; life's a total rollercoaster right now with tech shaking things up. "The future ain't what it used to be," Yogi Berra said, right? imagine seeing all these gizmos taking over gigs––it's nerve-wracking. yeah, i get the whole need to adapt spiel, but can critical thinking really cover our butts when the chips are down??? "Will they compete with machines for work?" hit me hard. seen my nephew struggle with this future stuff too, feels like we're all in the same boat. maybe just teach the kids to hustle and keep learning, but man, it feels like an uphill battle. 🤔
While the narrative articulates concerns shared by many parents today, I find the apprehension somewhat excessive and speculative. it is true that technological advancements have altered the workforce landscape; however, historical patterns indicate resilience and adaptability in humans. In "The Rise and Fall of American Growth" by Robert Gordon, it is highlighted that each industrial revolution initially displaced jobs but eventually created more diverse opportunities. The notion that current educational practices, such as emphasizing adaptability and critical thinking, are insufficient seems somewhat unfounded, given their proven long-term benefits. Moreover, while it is valid to worry about future job markets, current trends, as discussed in "The Future of Work" by Darrell M West, suggest that humans will likely collaborate with artificial intelligence rather than compete against it; thus, it is imperative to foster a mindset of continuous learning and flexibility. The future may indeed be unpredictable, yet it might not be as dire as it seems according to existing research.