--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead, we should be posing a different…" description: "\"“Instead, we should be posing a different question altogether: Which knowledge and skills do we want our children to have in 2030? Then, instead of ant..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/rutger-bregman-2463_children_instead-we-should-be-posing-a-different_1923868.jpg" --- # Instead, we should be posing a different question… ![“Instead, we should be posing a different question altogether: Which knowledge and skills do we want our children to have in 2030? Then, instead of anticipating and adapting, we’d be focusing on steering and creating. Instead of wondering what we need to do to make a living in this or that bullshit…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/rutger-bregman-2463_children_instead-we-should-be-posing-a-different_1923868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/rutger-bregman-2463_children_instead-we-should-be-posing-a-different_1923868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/rutger-bregman-2463_children_instead-we-should-be-posing-a-different_1923868.jpg) > ““Instead, we should be posing a different question altogether: Which knowledge and skills do we want our children to have in 2030? Then, instead of anticipating and adapting, we’d be focusing on steering and creating. Instead of wondering what we need to do to make a living in this or that bullshit job, we could ponder how we want to make a living. This is a question no trend watcher can answer. How could they? They only follow the trends, they don’t make them. That part is up to us.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates shifting education from reacting to trends to deliberately shaping future competencies. **In simple terms:** Teach children skills for the future, not just adapt to current jobs. Key Takeaway Focus on proactive skill development. Themes education future‑planning agency Mood optimistic thoughtful Type visionary inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - parenting - career counseling Key Concepts curriculum design lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - What skills will be essential in 2030? - How can we influence education policy? A Different Perspective Implementing such curricula requires systemic change and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2030 Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2030-instead-2971035/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children 2030](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-2030-2971036/) [Follow Trends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-trends/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Skills Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills-want-2113054/) [Want Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-make/) ## Related quotes > [“…What is my life for and what am I going to do with it? I don't know and I’m afraid. I can never read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/what-is-my-life-for-and-what-am-i-going-to-do-with-it-i-don-t-know-4/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“What is my life for and what am I going to do with it? I don't know and I'm afraid. I can never read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/what-is-my-life-for-and-what-am-i-going-to-do-with-it-i-don-t-know-3/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“You do not need more time, money, and skills to get what you want, as long as you focus on what you have instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/you-do-not-need-more-time-money-and-skills-to-get-what-you-want-as/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [I want to fight the best and show my skills, but I also want to be valued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-moraes/i-want-to-fight-the-best-and-show-my-skills-but-i-also-want-to-be/) [Marlon Moraes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-moraes/) > [“I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn. Look down the road at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/i-recommend-to-young-people-to-seek-work-for-what-they-will-learn/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [I've shown some good skills and want to keep going and improving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-jimenez/i-ve-shown-some-good-skills-and-want-to-keep-going-and-improving/) [Raul Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-jimenez/) > [I've always believed that you have to have the skills before you destroy the skills. If you want to be crude, be crude, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/i-ve-always-believed-that-you-have-to-have-the-skills-before-you/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [I always try to be a trend setter. That's what I always tell young people when I'm giving them advice. To go with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teena-marie/i-always-try-to-be-a-trend-setter-that-s-what-i-always-tell-young/) [Teena Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teena-marie/) > [I think Hollywood acts like followers of culture and is constantly seeking to follow trends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-think-hollywood-acts-like-followers-of-culture-and-is-constantly/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [We don't follow trends; I don't think we even set trends. We just do our own thing. We just do what we love. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-white-gluz/we-don-t-follow-trends-i-don-t-think-we-even-set-trends-we-just-do/) [Alissa White-Gluz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-white-gluz/) > [“you dont have to follow trends, you should set them, because there are too many 'her's and 'him's but there is only one 'you' ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-atef/you-dont-have-to-follow-trends-you-should-set-them-because-there-are/) [Jessica Atef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-atef/) > [If you want to be a songwriter and place a song with a popular artist, then it's ok to follow the trends. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-starland/if-you-want-to-be-a-songwriter-and-place-a-song-with-a-popular-artist/) [Wendy Starland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-starland/) > [“Don't try to follow trends. Create them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-zingerman/don-t-try-to-follow-trends-create-them/) [Simon Zingerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-zingerman/) > [“I am who I am, I don't follow my friends. I am who I am, I don't follow the trends. I am who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-santos/i-am-who-i-am-i-don-t-follow-my-friends-i-am-who-i-am-i-don-t-follow/) [David A. Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-santos/) > [I use a lot of Pinterest to follow trends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-rubio/i-use-a-lot-of-pinterest-to-follow-trends/) [Ricky Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-rubio/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. 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