The report shows, among other things, that as many as 48 percent of young people believe that in the fight against the pandemic and to protect older generations, we sacrificed too much. This is not the only axis dividing today's generations. According to respondents, the differences are not limited to matters of custom and debates about what is and isn't appropriate. Today, three main axes of intergenerational difference are visible above all: climate, attitudes toward the pandemic, and technology.

Climate unites us – our approach divides us

Climate unites us – our approach divides us

In recent years, the problem of climate change has become a priority in the international dialogue. However, concern for the environment is raised primarily among young people, who are taking bold steps to fight for a better future for themselves and for the planet. Climate change is becoming the reason they strike and take to the streets. For young people, ecology is above all a consumer choice, which is why 40 percent of millennials (18-34) accuse baby boomers (55+) of the carefree consumerism of past decades that is exhausting our resources. On the other hand, 59 percent of respondents over the age of 55 say it would be better for young people to stay in school. Older generations understand the problem, but they do not endorse the radical actions initiated by the young.

"This radicalism of actions taken by the young is the result of fear about the future, which is much stronger in younger generations. As many as 71 percent of young people worry about their future. These fears concern both climate change and a sense of economic uncertainty, only reinforced by the pandemic." – explains Jan Barański, Senior Strategic Planner at Havas Warsaw.

Too many sacrifices

Too many sacrifices

Differences between generations: climate, pandemic and technology

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a deepening economic crisis around the world. Persistent restrictions bring further challenges, especially for the younger generation. How many waves of the pandemic await us, how large they will be, how deep a recession the crisis will cause – these are just some of the many questions to which we still do not know the answers. This sense of uncertainty has meant that expressions of concern for older people, very strong at the beginning of the pandemic, have now given way to fears about the deepening economic crisis. 48 percent of prosumers in the 18-34 age group say that too much was sacrificed to protect older people from the virus: economic growth and financial stability.

Technology as an axis of dispute

Globally, only 17 percent of internet users are over 55. Culture is no longer transmitted solely through mainstream mass media. Everything is moving to social media. As a result, older generations no longer understand references to culture or celebrities appearing on new platforms. – The pandemic has deepened these differences even further. Older people lost access to cultural goods such as theatre, cinema or opera, which suddenly moved online. Older people need more time to adapt to digital reality than the younger generation, for whom it is a natural environment – says Paweł Tamioła, consultant at Havas PR Warsaw. – On the other hand, we also notice how a seemingly new medium, namely Facebook, is seeing an outflow of young users toward TikTok and Instagram. The development of new platforms contributes to deepening the generational divide. 90 percent of users of these social media platforms are young people who create culture to which the 50-60 generation has no access – he adds. In many areas, such as fashion, media, leisure and technology, it is the younger generation that is gaining the position of expert. The influx of information from social media drowns out intergenerational dialogue, which is harmful to the common good. The vast majority (90 percent of those 55+ and 83 percent of those 18-34) understand that society benefits when ties between generations are strong.

Summary

The report shows that young and old are divided above all by three issues: climate, the pandemic and technology. As many as 48 percent of people aged 18–34 believe that protecting seniors from the virus came at the expense of the economy. At the same time, 71 percent of young people declare fear about the future, which explains their radicalism in the fight for the environment. Experts from Havas Warsaw also point out that the pandemic deepened the digital divide – older people lost access to offline culture, while young people moved to TikTok and Instagram, creating content that is unreadable for the 55+ generation. Despite the differences, 90 percent of respondents aged 55+ and 83 percent of younger respondents believe that strong intergenerational ties benefit society as a whole.