The world of "today" for U.S. teens includes an ongoing war
against terrorism, a war in Iraq, and a shaky economy, but many
teens see a much brighter world of "tomorrow." In a recent Gallup
Youth Survey*, about 7 in 10 teens (69%) say they are more
optimistic than pessimistic about the world their children will
live in. About one in four -- 24% -- say they are more
pessimistic.
Optimism on Many Fronts
Gallup also asked teens to give specific reasons for their
optimism or pessimism. Some teens feel the world is a good place
that will only get better. "I think that we're going to do a lot of
good things in our lives and kind of put the world in an upward
spiral," says one teen. "Our society is getting better and that
leads to a bright future," says another.
Teens also often mention morals, ethics, and religious values as
reasons to be hopeful about the world their children will live in.
One teen thinks a strong family history of good values will serve
her children well. "[I'm optimistic because] the values that I have
and that my parents have taught me will be good for them," she
says. Another puts her trust in the God. "God is in control and
wouldn't let anything bad happen."
The president and the U.S. government foster optimism among
other teens. "We have a good president now and everything is going
great," a teen says. "The president is doing a fine job," says
another.
Some Teens Are Pessimistic
Just as some teens have specific reasons for optimism, others
anticipate that the world their children will inherit could be less
than perfect. Ironically, issues that spark optimism in some teens
-- such as morality and America's government -- are a source of
pessimism for others. "[I'm pessimistic] because it seems like the
general morals of the entire society are decaying quickly and it
does not seem like something I would want to raise a child in,"
says one teen. "I don't feel as safe with President Bush in
office," offers another.
Additional reasons for pessimism include the Iraq war and
terrorism. "The war doesn't create a safe environment," explains a
teen. Another teen is pessimistic because "everyone is fighting
with each other."
Pessimism, Alcohol and Marijuana
School counselors won't be surprised to learn that teens
engaging in risk behaviors have a more negative outlook on the
future. Teens who drink alcohol or have tried marijuana are much
less likely to be optimistic than teens who say they do not drink
or have not tried marijuana.
Bottom Line
When it comes to the future, more teens see the glass as half
full than as half empty. For some teens, it may just be their
natures to be optimistic. "Usually I just have a good outlook on
things and they just turn out good," one teen says. Another teen
believes that being optimistic never hurts. "You never know what
can happen, so you can always hope for the best."
*These results are based on telephone interviews with a
randomly selected national sample of 1,028 teenagers in
the Gallup Poll Panel of households, aged 13 to 17,
conducted Jan. 17 to Feb. 6, 2005. For results based on this
sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error
attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3
percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording
and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce
error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
