The young need to regularly exercise their thoughts and imagination, as this habit will bring lifetime benefits for them.
Our own ability to think, dream, imagine and hope is more important than ever, particularly with the advent of AI.
In 1964, I wrote a school essay entitled "Balclutha as I would like to see it 50 years from now".
My prediction was that, in 2014, Balclutha could be a vibrant city with a population in excess of 100,000 people. Skyscrapers dominated the skyline and there was easy access to monorails, hovercraft and supersonic flights.
However, this was the era of the Cold War where there were genuine concerns that the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States, could become embroiled in a nuclear conflict that would have devastating consequences. So, the essay was tempered somewhat in light of that, given the world that we knew then might cease to exist.
Fortunately, this catastrophe never occurred, and Balclutha emerged 50 years later with little having changed. There had perhaps been some modest growth with the town continuing to maintain its own special character and charm.
All of us were intrigued and fascinated by the events surrounding the 1960s space race. On December 1, 1961, Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin completed an orbit of Earth to become the first human in space. The US was keen not to be outdone and, on September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy made a famous and prophetic speech highlighted by the words: "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills".
This wish was fulfilled when, on July 20, 1969, Nasa’s Apollo 11 mission successfully landed two astronauts on the surface of the moon. Millions around the world starred skywards in wonder.
Our English class at South Otago High School paused to listen to a radio commentary of the landing and later the nation was able to watch television images of this remarkable achievement. This event totally altered our sense of what was possible and still does.
The past two decades have produced new advances and ambitions for space exploration and travel. Other competitors are now actively involved, including China and India. SpaceX’s Elon Musk has set an ambitious target of getting humans to Mars by 2031. Several countries, including the United States, have ambitions to revive moon landings in the next few years.
All of this is providing incredible inspiration for today’s youth.
One place in Otago that is much closer to my youthful dreams is Queenstown. Our family holidayed there annually. In 1964, it was still a was a very quiet resort with a small population.
Back then, there were few international tourists. Land and property were very affordable. Few could envisage or foresee the massive changes that were to take place from the mid-1970s onwards, particularly accelerating over the past two decades.
Now it is truly international and cosmopolitan. Young families are thriving and there is a real air of optimism and positivity.
Sure, there are challenges, with huge pressure on infrastructure and roading, but new, non-vehicular transport options have been proposed and, when implemented, will certainly help improve some of these issues.
Although tourism is the mainstay of Queenstown’s economy, diversification is under way where research and technology will have an increasing importance. This region is blessed with entrepreneurs keen to contribute their resources and knowledge.
Not many years from now, Queenstown and the Lakes District population will likely exceed that of Dunedin.
Finally, to all those young essay writers: hold on to your dreams. Keep your thoughts and hopes alive. Look optimistically and imaginatively to the future. Make predictions and wait to be pleasantly surprised.
— Joss Miller is a retired Dunedin lawyer.
