A poll of young people revealed that about half had misgivings about their future, but a resolve to pursue remedies. These polls neglect the other half, a summary less worthy of gluing eyeballs to a screen for commercial profit. That other half of kids is either less uptight or share everyone else's qualms, but lack a desire to inconvenience themselves to alter the course of what affects them. Okay. I have not been able to find a comparable survey from my class of 1973, but kids projecting ten or 50 years ahead are probably very similar. My generation has a huge advantage. We know how it turned out. The draft gone, the Vietnam now we place to vacation. Stuff that we buy is made in China. Bill Clinton and Donald Trump were equally unlikely successful candidates who got elected. We collect pensions no longer offered by the employers those young people will work for. How much of our destiny did we bring about? Most happened without much targeted input, voting with our dollars when our lives had a chance to upgrade. As an OSHA student, I live at the closing portion of an actuarial survival curve. People in their 70s still ponder the future, partly our own, partly our personal and combined legacies. Career done, asset sample, children now independently productive, still mobile, still married, still able to operate my home and travel when I want. Mostly fulfillment of what I once fretted will bypass my generation. I do miss the trust people once had in institutions. Mostly deserve suspicion. I still trust my doctors, highways, and airlines. The people the majority chooses to govern us and the people they appoint could be more respectable. But irrespective of who ruled or what carrots and sticks emerged, the most vital things were never threatened, only expanded. Okay. No restrictions on what I can express on paper or screen. My ancestry does not limit access to hotels, restaurant or university. Not a lot different now than when I cast my first vote for McGovern in fear that his opponent may jeopardize these. He lost 49 states. In the end, it is the colleges which generate people who become essential to science, commerce, public communications, and the arts. The very end of my future will fall from my control. I would like the nice young people in the ICU and nursing home to treat me kindly. The rabbi who oversees my burial should not have to grope for a few anecdotes of kindness that I offer to others. To bequeath enough of what I cannot take with me to fund a few initiatives that will enhance the lives that continue. I had my future only because somebody before me reasoned their end of life in a similar way. Okay. What might an appreciateive fellow in his closing years still do? I can set a good example. Vote for people in initiatives that are of public respect. Express what I think candidly, but without grandstanding, have a generous moment for anyone who needs one from me and maintain optimism that those conflict entrepreneurs will not prevail. Ultimately, Smart America, my segment, the U of D segment, always defines what people and communities should aspire to.
A Fantasy Future by Brooke Burkhardt
From Melissa Betau April 24, 2024
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Brooke Burkhardt, a freshman studying Neuroscience, shares childhood
dreams and the realities of career choices. Despite passions for fashion and
writing, she opts for a more financially secure major. Her dream world seems
unimaginable, contrasting with the harsh effects of reality.
This audio recording was submitted for the Voices of UD 2024 audio essay contest for students, hosted by the University of Delaware's Center for Political Communication. The Voices of UD project is open for all to participate, but the annual contest is open to UD students only. The views and opinions expressed by the contest participants do not necessarily reflect the views of the University, its administration, or faculty. Learn more about the CPC's programs and initiatives at www.cpc.udel.edu. Visual editing created at https://app.wavve.co/.
This audio recording was submitted for the Voices of UD 2024 audio essay contest for students, hosted by the University of Delaware's Center for Political Communication. The Voices of UD project is open for all to participate, but the annual contest is open to UD students only. The views and opinions expressed by the contest participants do not necessarily reflect the views of the University, its administration, or faculty. Learn more about the CPC's programs and initiatives at www.cpc.udel.edu. Visual editing created at https://app.wavve.co/.
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- December 06, 2023
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