LETTERS: We live in an era of wealth inequality. The numbers speak for themselves. Gross domestic product figures are rising, yet it's impossible to live comfortably in the city on a single income.
Our statistics look pretty because poverty measurements have remained unchanged for a long time.
Our lifestyle is funded by unsustainable subsidies. Companies without viable business models are kept going by low interest rates, government grants, venture capital, and suppressed wages. Judging by the recent budget, this is a trend that isn't going away anytime soon.
We live in political uncertainty. I try to remain optimistic now that the unity government is in charge, but bad actors are threatening to topple that, too.
Religious and political extremism is on the rise, and the loud minority is becoming the loud majority on the Internet. Our ability to remain multi-religious and multi-cultural will be heavily tested in the coming decades.
We live on the brink of another world war. The Russia-Ukraine conflict shows no sign of slowing down.
Many lives are lost. The fighting is half a world away, but it has already affected our fuel and food prices. What happens when Putin, both desperate and determined to win the war, decides to go for the nuclear option?
We are experiencing a climate crisis. How many flood incidents do we have to endure?
Our brain drain is almost double the global average, occurring across all sectors. We are fast becoming an ageing nation, and many of us choose to remain childless thanks to challenging economic conditions.
We live in an age of isolation. We have gotten accustomed to binge-watching and swiping away. The attention economy was never a consideration in the past, but now we are both consumer and product.
Our online personas matter just as much as our real ones. Some of us will probably never have a true nine-to-five office experience, now that hybrid work is the norm.
In the end, this isn't a conversation about which generation has it worse; it's a moot point with the only outcome being a race to the bottom.
The truth is, there is never really a bygone era that is "better" or "worse" — only unique circumstances that we are facing today. The better question to ask is, how do we operate in these conditions? When we look at it from this perspective, perhaps this era is full of opportunities for young adults.
We live in an age of access. I have many friends freelancing for overseas companies from the comfort of their gaming chairs, benefiting from the exchange rate. I can access lectures from Ivy League univeristies on YouTube for free.
I can get in touch with my member of parliament with a tweet or WhatsApp message. We no longer have to wait hours in line to complete a simple bureaucratic task. The world fits into the palm of our hands.
We live in a web of ideas. In the past, our belief systems were formed through education, community and surroundings. But on the Internet, we are exposed to all forms of media from all corners of the globe.
Every stupid statement or nugget of genius is constantly contested, defended and scrutinised. Exposing ourselves to these ideas and seriously contemplating them build character, empathy and tolerance.
We live in an era of productivity. Not everyone has access to a highly qualified personal assistant. But today, I have software that automatically schedules my calendar, transcribes and summarises meeting notes, writes my emails, and organises my files. It is entirely possible to run an entire company as a solo entrepreneur using the right tools.
We live in a time when change is attainable. It's now easier to mobilise movements and have an impact as an individual. A village girl can highlight problems with Internet connectivity in rural areas, compelling the government to speed up digitalisation.
We've changed our government several times now, something that was unfathomable many years ago. I can easily publish this article to thousands of readers with just a few clicks — try doing that using pen and paper.
I don't deny that we're moving towards adversity, but we're also equipped with the resources to better our situation.
We can choose to upskill and demand a self-respecting wage from our employers equivalent to the value we deliver. We can choose to point out and respond to everyday injustice.
We can choose to break down the racial, religious and language barriers with a smile and a nod.
A simple kindness can go a long way in humanising people across a divide. Because what is change without action and willpower? Would we rather live in undesirable circumstances than do the undesirable work?
We all play a role in deciding who we are and who we want to be. We all can decide what this country is and isn't — so don't let other people be that voice for you.
Jotham Lim
Shah Alam, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
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