Governments should focus on solving the immediate problems of today rather than on trying to solve the anticipated problems of the future.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.
Should governments focus on solving the immediate problems of today rather than on trying to solve the anticipated problems of the future? The answer could depend on how close you actually are to the problems. A single mother who’s struggling to make enough money to feed her daughters between her two jobs may believe that indeed the government should focus its efforts on solving the very real and painful problems many like her face today. Others, who do not face such serious problems, may believe the opposite: that the government should take a proactive approach and look to the future, anticipating problems that will arise and paving the way for creating potential solutions.
Although I am sensitive to the current struggle of people like the aforementioned mother, unless a country has serious problems such as civil unrest that put its citizens’ lives in immediate danger, I believe most of the government’s time should go toward solving the anticipated problems of the future, for several reasons.
For one, modern long-term issues that have arisen in recent decades and were never a problem before demand it demand it. Global warming is one such example, and it cannot be solved overnight. Yet left ignored, this issue can spell the end of the human race. The government needs to take the potential implications that global warming can have in our future seriously, and continue to brainstorm and collaborate with other countries to gradually minimize carbon dioxide emissions in the future until, many years from now, they are minimal and do not pose a threat. This type of work requires taking a long-term view, and the human race depends on it.
Secondly, shortsightedness on the government’s side can come in the way of innovation and reduce a country’s competitiveness. If the government is too busy focusing on immediate problems, it won’t put as much effort toward funding programs that have no immediate benefits but can help continue to keep a country competitive in the global arena. This includes creating and funding programs that support innovation, rethinking educational models, as well as coming up with ways to make college tuition more affordable, so that the next generation’s sharpest minds have the opportunity to innovate. Only with innovation can a country stay competitive, and only by staying competitive will it increase exports and attract more investors
Third, other critical issues, such as human rights and world hunger, may not involve a government’s immediate citizens, but they are worthy of spending time to solve. Each generation attempts to make the future of the human race better, and so far, as a species we’ve been doing well – whether it’s through the advent of medicine, which has lengthened our life span, or technology, which has connected people around the world and further fueled innovation. We must not lose sight of this in favor of immediate problems within a country. Countries have a moral obligation to continue contributing efforts that can end human suffering and inequality around the world, and these types of issues cannot be solved overnight.
In conclusion, a long-term approach to problem solving can help a country solve serious problems that affect not only its citizens but also the whole world. From the environment to basic human rights, serious problems that affect the whole world can be solved only with looking ahead into the future.
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