Trust the young people; trust this generation's innovation.

Hear the words of Jack Ma, the merchant-philosopher of our age: “Trust the young people; trust this generation's innovation. They're making things, changing innovation every day. And all the consumers are the same: they want new things, they want cheap things, they want good things, they want unique things. If we can create these kind of things for consumers, they will come.” This is not merely counsel for merchants but a vision of the future itself. For he declares that the torch of progress lies not in the hands of the weary, but in the grasp of the young, whose minds blaze with possibility, whose hearts beat to the rhythm of creation.

The meaning of this saying is twofold. First, it calls us to place confidence in the energy and creativity of the younger generation. Too often the old despise the youth, claiming they are foolish, untested, or naïve. Yet in every age, it is the daring of the young that bends the course of history. Second, it recognizes the eternal hunger of the people—the consumers, as Ma names them—who always seek what is new, what is better, what is unique. The young, with their fresh vision, are the very artisans who can satisfy that hunger. Thus, trust is the bridge between the generations: the old providing wisdom and guidance, the young providing energy and innovation.

History gives us luminous examples. Consider the tale of the Wright brothers. They were not seasoned statesmen nor elder engineers of great repute, but young men, bicycle makers, mocked by many. Yet from their youthful vision took flight the first airplane, reshaping the destiny of nations. The world hungered for new means of travel, and these youths, despised by some, answered the hunger with wings of wood and cloth. So it has always been: the young dare what the cautious will not, and in their daring lies the seed of greatness.

Another example shines from the age of technology itself. Steve Jobs, still in his twenties, began in a garage with ideas most dismissed as toys. Yet he trusted in the power of innovation and in the desire of the people for beauty, simplicity, and uniqueness. From that trust arose the empire of Apple, which altered not only commerce but culture. Jobs proved the very wisdom Jack Ma proclaims: that if you create what the people long for—new things, good things, unique things—they will come in multitudes.

The lesson is not for merchants alone but for all. In every life there are “consumers”—those who look to you for something. Perhaps they are your family, perhaps your community, perhaps the world at large. They hunger not only for goods but for inspiration, kindness, leadership, and courage. If you, like the young innovators, can provide what is true and good, they will gather. But if you cling to the past, offering only what is stale, they will turn away. Thus the teaching calls us all to a spirit of renewal, to be creators in our own measure.

And yet, Jack Ma speaks not only of producing, but of trust. For the young cannot rise if the old withhold faith in them. Innovation withers in suspicion but flourishes in encouragement. Just as the Athenians once entrusted their city’s fate to their young men at Marathon, so must each generation entrust the tools of creation to those who follow. The wisdom of age must guide but not suffocate; the energy of youth must build but not despise. Only in this harmony is the economy of progress sustained.

Therefore, let the teaching be written upon your heart: trust the young, honor their daring, and learn from their vision. At the same time, recognize the eternal hunger of mankind—for what is new, what is good, what is unique—and strive to meet it with the work of your own hands. In your family, in your craft, in your community, create what brings life and joy to others. For if you do, they will come—not because of fame or wealth, but because the soul always seeks the fresh waters of innovation. And in this way, you too will join the great stream of builders who shape the world anew.