World will see more change in 2020s
With the decade over, these are issues that will come to define the years ahead
The 2010s are nearly over. Barrels of ink have been spilled in memoriam. The decade saw a peaceful protest turn into a bloody civil war in Syria, setting off a global refugee crisis. Unseen algorithms filled our newsfeeds with divisive content and conspiracy theories. The fight against climate change united a generation. The Millennium Development
Goals gave way to the Sustainable Development Goals as more people were lifted out of poverty. Social movements, from Black Lives Matter to #Metoo to #Timesup and the push for reconciliation in Canada, shed light on long-ignored injustices.
But retrospectives can offer more than nostalgia or a rehashing of stories that dominated the early millennium. They can point to what’s to come. As a new father, I’m focused on how the issues and upheavals that made headlines this decade will continue to impact young peoples.
We’ve seen a seismic shift in the way we talk about and treat mental health. The stubborn taboo remains, but it’s fading. Celebrities now share stories of their own struggles, workplaces offer mental health support and new technologies, from video games to virtual reality, are designed to help users cope with depression and anxiety. The 2010s will be remembered as the decade that mental health and well-being went mainstream.
And it couldn’t come at a better time, with rising rates of anxiety in children and suicide among students on university campuses. We’ve finally brought these issues to light — now the challenge remains to create sufficient resources that can help all those in pain.
The realm of digital technology has also seen unprecedented changes. Concerns over data and privacy burst into the spotlight with high profile breaches, scandals and legislation. But the questions that will determine the future of the internet remain unanswered.
Young people born with technology are proving more savvy and less willing to hand over their personal information. They’re pushing back against companies eavesdropping on their microphones or tracking their movements through apps. The internet — and the vast swath of technologies it has enabled — has been a democratizing force. For all its flaws, it’s levelled differences and bridged divides. But the coming fight is with the dangers lurking behind the screen.
Finally, there is the question of work. While the gig economy has reshaped the way young people work, there’s another trend that’s revolutionizing what they’re working for: the pursuit of purpose beyond profit. This summer, nearly 200 chief executives from some of the world’s largest companies unveiled their vision to be forces for good, shifting to sustainable practices, contributing to their communities and fostering diversity and inclusion. This fits with years of data showing that young people entering the workforce want a career that gives back while consumers want to align with a brand that speaks to them. With companies investing vast resources and capital to help solve social issues, we have a real chance to move the needle on some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Talking openly about mental health, data and privacy as human rights, and companies entering the fold to do good — these are all trends I hope continue. Happy 2020. Here’s to the next decade.
Craig Kielburger is co-founder of the WE Movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day.