Generation gaps more and more widening

Havas Group's 'Future of Aging' study found that the generation gap is growing and the pandemic is making it worse. The report shows, inter alia, that as much as 48 percent. of young people believe that we have sacrificed too much to fight the pandemic and to protect the elderly. This is not the only axis that differentiates the generations functioning today. As the respondents declare, the differences do not only concern moral issues and discussions about what is and what is not. Today, three main axes of intergenerational differences are visible: climate, approach to pandemic, and technology.

In recent years, the problem of climate change has become a priority of international dialogue. However, concern for the environment is of concern above all among young people who are taking bold steps to fight for a better future for themselves and the planet. Older generations understand the problem but do not subscribe to radical actions initiated by the young.

“This radicalism of actions taken by young people is the result of fear for the future, which is much stronger in the younger generations. As many as 71 percent of young people worry about their future. These concern both climate change and the feeling of economic uncertainty, exacerbated only by the pandemic,” Jan Barański, Senior Strategic Planner from Havas Warsaw said.

The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the global economic crisis. The persistent limitations are connected with new challenges that are faced primarily by the young generation. The feeling of insecurity has led to expressions of concern for elders, very strong at the start of the pandemic, now giving way to fears of a deepening economic crisis. 48 percent of prosumers in the 18-34 age group say that too much has been sacrificed to protect the elderly from the virus: economic growth and financial stability.

Globally, only 17 percent. of internet users are over 55 years old. Culture is no longer broadcast exclusively in the mainstream media. Everything moves to social media. As a result, older generations no longer understand the references to culture or celebrities appearing on new platforms. 

"The pandemic deepened these differences even more. Older people lost access to cultural goods such as theater, cinema, and opera, which suddenly moved online. Older people need more time to adapt to digital reality than the younger generation for whom it is natural. environment,” Paweł Tamioła, a consultant with Havas PR Warsaw, added.

(WBJ)