It is all too easy these days to look around the world and fear for the future.

We can worry about everything from regional conflicts which could escalate into larger conflicts, inflation and economic decline, climate change, increasing rates of mental illness amount our young, future pandemics, AI, our fragile healthcare system, our ageing population, and pretty much any other current or future development which could negatively affect us.

It is during difficult times that I like to quote Frankin Delano Roosevelt, arguably America’s greatest president and one of the greatest leaders of the 20^th century.

Roosevelt was an incredible person who came from a privileged background but experienced great tragedy and loss. He was able to overcome adversity and exhibit incredible strength, courage, and determination and provide unwavering leadership through the Great Depression and World War II.

My favorite FDR quote is “the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself”.  It is such a powerful expression which is one of my mottos and one I live by. Fear is a powerful and at times useful emotion. It can serve an important purpose if it relates to actual harm or misfortune and can be a motivator for being careful and prudent.  If we did not have a sense of fear, we wouldn’t be able to survive.

However, too often fear is the fear of the unknown. Fear of what could or might happen, versus what will or will likely happen. When fear of the possible versus the probable takes over, it can lead to paralysis. Paralysis can then lead to hopelessness and helplessness. Both do nothing but cause unnecessary suffering.

I can never understand those who torture themselves by worrying about what might happen. If you make reasonable plans and precautions for the worst-case scenario, then you have nothing to worry about. If fear is more realistic, you shouldn’t just worry about it and stew in a feeling of dread.

Instead, you should take action and confront your fears head on. Rip the band-aid off and be over with it so you can move on.  Once you confront your fears, you quickly realize that what you were dreading is not nearly as bad as you imagined. Our imagination of negative events is usually much worse than the events themselves.

Fear and the Future

Fear of the future and what might happen is futile and ultimately a waste of time and energy. We cannot predict the future. Nor can we control the future. We are limited by our knowledge and our imagination. This is especially true the more we try to plan for the distant future.

Our imagination can be a double-edged sword. It can help create considerable joy and great works of art, but it can also create incredible distress and psychological suffering. Our imagination can create scenarios for a better world, but it can also create nightmare scenarios which are either improbable or far worse than what will most likely happen.

It is very tempting to look back on the past as “the good old days” when everything was better, safer, and kinder. Yet a realistic appraisal of the past would show us that things were never as safe and rosy as we think they were. Previous generations worried about the future and their children’s future just like we do.

Instead of worrying about the future, we should live in the present and deal with the problems and challenges that require our attention now. We can make plans, prepare for possible contingencies, and build up our resilience and resources. We can look at our greatest fears in the face and once we confront them, we can realize that they are not that bad even if they happen and that we are strong enough to deal with them. People are incredibly adaptive and resilient. We need to foster adaptability and resilience in our children and society in general.

Roosevelt had great hope for the future and the courage, strength, and decency of the average individual. In the darkest days he knew that if we stay positive and focused, we can get through anything. He was, is, and will be right.

David Campbell, Ethicist