Americans care more about future generations than many think – and that gap could matter for policy

Americans care significantly about future generations and believe that the interests of people living decades or centuries from now deserve ethical consideration in decision-making related to climate change, pandemic preparedness, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
People participating in two online surveys of 1,000 U.S. adults revealed that they underestimate how much concern others have for future generations.
Americans generally believe society and government should consider 16 to 17 future generations when making decisions—approx. 400 to 425 years into the future—but think other Americans would consider only around 13 generations, or 325 years.
On moral concern, Americans extended at least some moral consideration to 28 generations, roughly 700 years into the future, while underestimating that others would do the same at around 21 generations, or 175 years sooner.
Such underestimation can reduce public support for long-term policies like climate change mitigation, pandemic preparedness, and regulation of emerging technologies due to the belief that others might not care as much.

Americans care more about future generations than many think – and that gap could matter for policy | Nation