Boomers vs Zoomers: bridging the generational divide

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2024 on Sunday 20 October at Church House, Westminster.

ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION

TV design celebrity Laurence Llewelyn- Bowen recently bought a large house in the Cotswolds where three generations of his family live together, noting that in the past, families stayed together, working on the farm or in the shop. This contemporary experiment in intergenerational living is posited as an antidote to a toxic generational divide between Baby Boomers and Gen Z, or Zoomers.

In popular debate. negative stereotypes abound as the older and younger generations are pitted against each other. To many, Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) are regarded as the luckiest generation in history. They benefited from economic prosperity, secure homeownership, and never had to fight in a war. This has made them selfish and greedy, according to their critics, having bequeathed a terrible legacy on the young – from economic instability and an inaccessible housing ladder to catastrophic environmental damage.

On the other hand, Zoomers (born roughly 1997 to 2012) are sometimes perceived to be narcissistic, entitled, lazy and listless. Many argue they have little desire to work, are obsessed with their mental health, spend all of their time online and have no sense of duty or obligation to society. Unable to buy property, put down roots and start a family, Zoomers hit back, arguing it was their generation that was forced to study online, work remotely and stay home to protect the elderly during the pandemic. Of course we are listless, they say. What did you expect?

Is there any truth to such stereotypes, and are they helpful? Some researchers argue there is little evidence to back up this so-called generational divide. They argue where differences in preference and values do exist, they are actually quite small. Furthermore, the idea of a clearly demarcated divide obscures huge differences within generations, from property wealth to political affiliations.

Moreover, is such divisive language unnecessarily driving these generations apart when, in fact, they share a problem with loneliness and disconnection, and have a wealth of shared experiences that can bring them together? Older people and younger people, for example, have been shown to suffer isolation in the highest numbers, according to multiple studies.

There is also strong evidence to support the benefits of intergenerational bonds. The Japan Society for Intergenerational Studies has trialled ‘intergenerational contact events’. Global Intergenerational Week has been set up to promote intergenerational initiatives and policies around the world, and studies have shown how contact between old and young can benefit both parties’ well-being in the short and long term.

Are generations really a useful, definable category and are they a helpful way to understand the challenges that we face today? How real is this generational divide, and what should we do to bridge it?

SPEAKERS
Felice Basbøll
project assistant, Ideas Matter; student, Trinity College Dublin

Jennie Bristow
reader in sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University; author, The Corona Generation: coming of age in a crisis and Growing up in Lockdown

Dr Eliza Filby
historian of generations and contemporary values; author, Inheritocracy: Why we Should Talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad

Natalie Turner
deputy director of localities, Centre for Ageing Better

CHAIR
Jane Sandeman
chief operating officer, The Passage; convenor, AoI Parents Forum; contributor, Standing up to Supernanny