As the new century approaches, Taiwan is experiencing uncertainty.

The number of candidates for next year's presidential election has grown from three to six. Except for the ruling KMT, which nominated Premier Vincent Siew to run with presidential candidate Lien Chan, no other party yet has a VP candidate. The media is having a field day with rumors and speculation. No expert as yet dares predict who will lead Taiwan into the next era, an era which, we can expect, will be of the most rapid change in the history of mankind.

It seems that the only thing one can be certain of is that uncertainty is all around us. If we do not find the causes and quickly come up with an antidote, we may be swallowed up.

On a personal level, uncertainty most manifests itself in employment, which affects the entire family.

On August 28, as the ruling KMT was endorsing its nominees, more than 10,000 workers from 21 state-run enterprises from across Taiwan had gathered not far away to demand that privatization be delayed, and that policies be created to guarantee workers' rights.

The fears of state-run enterprise employees are just the tip of the iceberg. In January, Business Weekly magazine did a survey of 625 listed firms inquiring about their manpower and salary policies for the coming year. The number who expected to cut staff increased from 109 last year to 138 this year. And according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics, the number of unemployed in Taiwan is about 269,000, of whom some 90,000 are unemployed as a result of company shutdowns.

This is not, of course, a phenomenon exclusive to Taiwan, but is a global trend. Last year on Christmas Day, Hong Kong's Apple Daily ran an editorial entitled: "The unemployment market enters the age of uncertainty." It referred to the fact that the "iron rice bowl" of permanent state employment is becoming a thing of the past, and even civil servants must be prepared to lose their jobs.

In fact, in his book JobShift, published in 1994, the author William Bridges predicted that "jobs will disappear." According to Bridges, the era of mass job opportunities created by large firms in the industrial revolution is now long past. Large private firms are turning to subcontracting, and large state firms are being privatized, while even government bureaucracies are trimming fat. Does this not sound like what has been happening in Taiwan the past few years?

Fortunately, JobShift describes the US, and since Taiwan's economic development process lags behind that of the US, Taiwan still has time to adopt policies to cope with these coming structural shifts.

What can the individual do? Whether you are employed, changing careers, looking for your first job, or still in school, it is best to prepare yourself mentally, and begin to use some of the time you invest in recreation to invest in yourself. Don't be swayed by commercial tricks into buying something today that will end up being an environmental eyesore tomorrow. As your desire to consume declines, you will have more time for yourself and be able to address your real needs.

To cope with social change, you need to know your own character and interests, and continually improve yourself. For example, learn a foreign language, get familiar with the Internet, or read some good books that will spark your creativity. In this information age, knowledge and creativity are the best assets.

At home, the most important things are a healthy body and a healthy mind. All it takes for a healthy body is a simple diet and a little regular exercise, preferably some gentle calisthenics you can do at home. Stretch your stressed-out body and relax. Even better, exercise with your family, and you can build muscles and family ties at the same times.

In this age of uncertainty, we most need to be certain of ourselves and continually grow and adapt to cope with the variables of life. Our cover story this month analyzes trends in the job market and tells you how to stay on top of things and adapt yourself to change. The article on depression reminds everyone to listen to your hearts and pay attention to what your body is telling you. The story on Hsinchu shows how technology and humanism can go hand in hand. And the story of "Taiwanese opera, Singapore-style," discusses a cultural asset that all Chinese people share. You will be able to identify with all of this month's articles.

We hope that we can continue to grow right along with our readers.