Tom Tozer and Bill Black pose for a portrait Monday, March 28, 2016 at the Chattanooga Times Free Press.Dad, this one is for your teenagers. If you can collar them for just a few moments, please share this column with them. If they won’t stand still long enough to lasso them in, then please pass on the following sentiments.
If they are like every other teenager in the world, they’re probably being urged, coaxed and prodded to think about their future. And there’s probably a tug of war going on inside their heads between the here and now and the out there and whenever.
The future as propaganda
Nothing gets more propaganda than one’s future, especially for those who have most of it still in front of them. Your teenager hears it from all sides – from parents, teachers, bosses, college advisers, recruiters, even peers. The message is the same: What are you going to do with your life?
You’re not alone, dear teenager. In addition to you and many of your friends who are struggling with this riddle, many adults – maybe your own parents – also continue to wonder what they’re going to do with their future. They just have a little less of it.