What are we talking about when we talk about generations?
Philippe Depoorter: “We can give four definitions to the notion of generation. Firstly, there is the genealogical and vertical axis which indicates a position in a generational chain, between ascendants and descendants. Then there is the generation in a demographic and horizontal approach, which designates birth cohorts. The historical definition refers to a group of people who have lived together over a period of time, such as the May 68 generation, and whose members therefore share common cultural values. Finally, the economic approach designates the generation as the place occupied, in terms of life cycles, according to the three classic stages of education, work and retirement.
What do these different definitions teach us?
“They tell us about the place we have to find in the family generations, and confront us with all the criticisms about our collective posture and the question of financial redistribution. What’s more, each generation has its own calendar: the zeitgeist of each era and major events, geopolitical or otherwise, mark and transform the life cycle of each generation, which inherits the values handed down by those who came before. Consequently, this endless division of generations into X, Y or Z seems to me far too simplistic and discriminating.
Why?
“This tendency towards generational division traps some people and leads others to conform to it, out of convenience or panurgism. It’s a ready-made, formatted way of thinking, rather than a willingness to listen to and discover each other, or to take into account the aspirations and skills of each individual. I think it’s the evolution of society more than the year of birth that leads to inclinations. But overall, it also reflects a broader trend in our society: to solve problems, we silo: migrants, people with disabilities, marginalised young people, the elderly ... we create one of the silos for each, but in doing so we isolate, at best we juxtapose, whereas the fundamental issue is that of living and working together.
In your experience, how can we think more 'intergenerational' without confronting the generations?
“In my experience of transmission, the generations don’t know each other very well, and find it hard to really communicate. Nowadays, with people living longer, there are often three generations living together (and sometimes still passing on the legacy), not to mention the half-generations that have come into being as a result of new family models. In a group, it is interesting to ask each generation what it expects and what it thinks it can bring to the other: very quickly, a gulf of misunderstanding appears.
Why is intergeneration a real challenge for tomorrow?
“Firstly because of the ageing population and its effects. By 2050, 25% of the world’s population will be over 60, and 50% will be over 50. We, the baby boomers, now have the time, the experience and the historic opportunity to collectively rethink all these paradigms, because we urgently need to change them. We need to move from deadly competition to essential cooperation. This is also a challenge for companies: what are they going to do with this extension of life and work?
What are the possible scenarios for the future?
“Let’s say there are at least two. A dark scenario, that of the battle of the ages, with future generations regretting living less well than those who preceded them. The crises linked to debt and pollution will be blamed on previous generations, which may create resentment between the generations. And a rosier scenario that presents ageing as an opportunity to think about the future. Older people will force us to build a gentler, more social and more ecological society, one that is also fairer and more just. We will have to rethink our lives in terms of diversity: our urban planning, our hospitals, our transport, the use of technology, and so on. In addition, personal services will create thousands of jobs, provided that the support professions are upgraded. This will require solid intergenerational cooperation.”
This article was written for Paperjam magazine for the month of October 2025, published on 24 September. The content is produced exclusively for the magazine. It is published on the site to contribute to Paperjam’s comprehensive archive. Click this link to subscribe to the magazine.
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