Portraits of youth: Understanding young people's relationship with the future

Young people's relationship with the future is complex and contradictory. Some surveys and commentaries suggest most are optimistic, others that they are pessimistic. Some indicate they are adapted to the postmodern world of rapid change and uncertainty, others that they are anxious and apprehensive. Some of these differences can be readily explained; others require more thorough analysis. We need a better understanding of this relationship if we are to improve both young people's personal well-being and humanity's prospects. It may help if we distinguish between three different images—modern, postmodern and transformational.