We have left young people with the prospect of a life of debt, poverty and insecurity. And then we castigate them for not thinking of the long term. ......

I disagree. We have no idea of what kind of world we have left them, but we have not had a world war since 1945..a miracle. We have way cheap energy that we just have to install and use. We have books that a thousand can fit on the palm of your hand. We have probably cleaner air, better if too much medicine, literacy increasing all over the world, reducing of population growth and in many cases reversal..we have a lessening grip of some harmful aspect of religion. We still have the ability to grow food although we are so stupid as to build strip malls on it and turn our clean water into sewage..but we will get smarter there. We have a world that increasingly speaks at least two languages..unfortunately one is English and probably not the best choice but there it is and communication will be easier. We have a questionably better educated population, but with vastly reduced skills in many necessary areas and that has to be remedied. We are addicted to cheap starches but now we know they are the root of diabetes and all sorts of health problems so we can change that. I say we turned the corner, and barring war or natural disasters things will steadily improve.

As for the young people, there will probably be a rush of jobs for them at some point..we don't know when, as people retire, as new industries form. Some have to go back into agriculture, which will be wonderful as we have some bad agricultural practices and need more human labor. They will find their own way. They will have fewer children and fewer possessions and probably quit going to elite colleges but I think by and large they will be OK. mg