Bill Gates often worries about the impact of climate change and other threats that may have a negative impact on future generations. However, on the other hand, the Microsoft founder remains optimistic.
Quoted by us from CNBC, he is still very optimistic about the future of mankind. Even with the challenges of current and future generations, Gates said that anyone born in the next few decades will be in a better situation than anyone born in the past.
"I am still very optimistic that it will be much better to be born 20 years from now, 40 years from now, 60 years from now than at any time in the past," he said in an interview at the Lowy Institute.
Indeed, the world is experiencing bad trends such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the government's failure to address climate change, and the increasing political polarization in the US. A Gallup survey found only 42% of Americans believe today's youth would have a better standard of living than their parents. That figure is 18% lower than in 2019.
However, according to Bill Gates, the future will still be better. He cited advances in public health, with the global death rate for children under 5 having halved over the past two decades.
"The amount of innovation to improve the overall human condition will still be dramatic. We will cure obesity, cure cancer, eradicate polio," Gates said.
Then compared to the past, human life expectancy has jumped dramatically. In 1700, the average person died before the age of 40. Currently in the US, for example, the life expectancy is 76 years. All thanks to innovations in technology and health that continue to grow.