The survey also revealed that young people in particular have strong faith in the future, and 91 percent of them are interested in it.
However, the share of respondents who are excited about the future has decreased, and one in five respondents said they look forward to the future and see a lot of opportunities in it, compared to one in four respondents two years ago. In addition, the number of respondents who are afraid of the future has slightly increased, now 15%, compared to 13% two years ago. Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most excited about the future, and 34 percent of them say they look forward to the future.
The study concluded that Russia’s attack on Ukraine has had a stronger impact on Finns’ views of the future than Covid-19. 36% of the respondents considered the war to have influenced their views well or a lot, and 43% to some extent. The war has affected women’s views more than men’s, and of the various age groups, those aged 65 and older have had the greatest impact.
When asked about hopes for the future, the number one reaction was to preserve the welfare state, followed by balancing the public finances and curbing the debt, maintaining a high level of national security, and improving the well-being of children and young people. According to the Future Barometer, the same themes will affect Finns’ voting decisions in the spring elections. However, environmental goals, such as curbing global warming and stopping the decline of biodiversity, have decreased in Finns’ hopes for the future.
The Futures Barometer also asked the respondents about megatrends affecting the future, such as the deterioration of nature’s carrying capacity, growing welfare challenges, the intensifying fight for democracy, the acceleration of competition for digital power and the breaking of economic foundations. More than half of the respondents (56%) felt that the megatrend of the weakening of nature’s carrying capacity corresponds to their own views. However, the respondents were divided by party and age.
Sitra’s foresight expert Sanna Rekola emphasized that decision-makers should adopt a strategic approach that goes beyond the government’s conditions. He added that it is important for parties and candidates to tell Finns in the election debates what kind of future they want for Finland. He emphasized that the crisis of ecological sustainability should not be ignored and the development described by megatrends cannot be postponed.
In summary, it can be stated that the Futures Barometer study showed that Finns are still optimistic about the future despite the crises they face. They are interested in the future and believe that it is possible to influence it. The study also showed that young people have strong faith in the future. However, according to the survey, the proportion of respondents who are excited about the future has decreased and the environmental goals have decreased. The study also emphasized that decision-makers must adopt a strategic approach and not ignore the crisis of ecological sustainability.
Source: The Nordic Page
