Teach kids to be “innovators,” not “activists.”

Innovators look for solutions.

A growing number of kids worry so much about climate change that they can’t even imagine their own future. 

In fact, they are made to feel that the world would be better off if they didn’t exist. As further evidence of that notion, people aren’t having kids—and they name the climate as the reason. 

This isn’t a political claim: that’s terrible. No matter how serious you think the issue is, we can’t accept the loss of our kids’ spirits.

A few things to notice: 

1. We rely on the optimism of young people to fix all problems.

2. Things are far better in 2022 than the news wants you to think.

3. People have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of the world.

4. Kid’s optimism and ambition is the best possible thing for the planet.

While we explore these ideas, let’s look at practical ways you can help your kids overcome the dread that permeates media and our traditional schools. 

Kids should have their arguments ready because other (scared) adults will try to make them feel powerless. 

Let’s see how we can change that.

Encourage the optimistic innovation that always saves the world

The world, according to the news and social media, is on the brink of collapse. 

The world, according to most objective measurements, is the most abundant it’s been in all of human history, and we’re only slated for more and more growth. 

Here’s something you’re not going to hear in the news: there are more forests in the northern hemisphere than 100 years ago, and poverty is being eliminated faster than ever before in human history. People have no idea how poor people have been for 99 percent of human history. In 1850, for example, an average laborer had to work 2 hours and 50 minutes for a pound of sugar. In 2021, you only need 35 seconds of work.

In an attempt to “warn” children, traditional schools make kids think that their parent’s SUV is the reason for the death of their planet. They are told they need to “cut back” and not “leave a footprint,” which conflicts with the spirit of children, who often have natural dreams of leaving a big footprint on the world (in a positive way). 

Instead, they are advised to cull their expectations, limit their ambitions, consider not having kids, and limp through life “sustainably” and hope they “get by” not leaving too much carbon behind. Can you think of something more pathetic to be teaching our kids? 

It’s exactly backward. We need our kid's prosperity and ambition to save us from ourselves, like always. Every ounce of our kids’ optimism we destroy with doomsaying reduces our chances of cultivating the future heroes who will save the world. 

Why is it nearly a social taboo to discuss our collective success? Most traditional schools teach kids nothing about the miracles of society they get to enjoy every day. Nobody mentions how someone fixes the plumbing, the rooms stay warm, and the lights are on, and that all of that is so reliable, you don’t even have to think about it. That is amazing from any historical perspective. 

There are two reasons for our current state of misunderstanding: 

1. Fear sells. Vultures are trying to steal our attention in any way they can. So, understandably, they focus on the forecasts that scare us the most and tap into the human fear of total collapse (that’s why there are so many disaster movies). 

2. Nice people want to help. It’s hard to hear that bad things are going on or might happen in the future. Empathetic and kind people are being taken advantage of by fearmongers, and that fear is being passed down to our kids like a mind virus. 

Here’s the rub: things are better now than ever, and kids have a unique opportunity to make things even more abundant in the future; as long as we don’t crush their spirits with fear. 

Studies consistently show that gratitude is the best emotional state to create a better future. It’s not like we’re asking our kids to ignore the many problems of the modern world. We’re just advocating getting them in the headspace where they can do something about it. 

Think about it: when do you have the most energy to change your life? When you’re stressed or when you’re inspired? 

Here are some practical things you can do with your kids to give them the tools to be more inspired and create a better future: 

Start a family gratitude practice. Around dinner time, take turns saying what you’re grateful for. Do it daily and watch your kids’ outlook shift from doomscrolling to inspiration.

Teach your kids history. Traditional schools teach history in a boring way, compelling kids to memorize dates and names. Kids love history once they realize it’s about them. Things were tough for humanity for a long time. But inspiring and courageous people made it better. Your kids can do the same. They need to know how powerful they really are. History, taught properly, imparts that wisdom.

Encourage your kids’ dreams. Don’t hide your kids from what’s going wrong in the world, but tell them that they can do something about it. Are they particularly worried about climate change? Well, how are you going to help fix it? Worried about overfishing the ocean? What practices actually alleviate the problem? 

The world, in some sense, is always ending. We need our kids to be all they can be, not make them less. Encourage them, and don’t crush their enthusiasm.

If you know a parent with a kid who’s got big dreams, send them this.

Thanks for reading, 

Taylor + rebelEducator Team

Subscribe for more like this every Tuesday.

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P.S.

Here’s what we’re looking at:

Austin Scholar’s newsletter. She’s a student who scores in the 99 percentile with no teachers. Find out how.

David Perell’s guide to online learning. No, it’s not worse than in-person. We just haven’t mastered it yet.

Watch this 10-year-old read Aristotle.

Quotes we’re pondering:

“The weak are always anxious for justice and equality. The strong pay no heed to either.” — Aristotle

"Children are happy because: 1) They're not self conscious 2) They lack a sense of time pressure 3) They've no goals. The bottom line is they are living from moment to moment, and the mind is not there to interfere in their bliss." - Naval Ravikant

“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.” —Leonardo Da Vinci