This lecture aims to provide a better understanding of the socio-cultural differences underlying intergenerational relationships in contemporary society. Our main goal will be to provide a sociological frame of reference to allow for a better appreciation of the social implications of this issue. Ultimately, our presentation will question certain intergenerational misconceptions and expose certain prejudices concerning today’s youth and their relationship with adult society.

For us, these misconceptions and prejudices, which often impede responsible and constructive communication between generations, are frequently based on and perpetuated through popular culture and mass media. We believe that interaction among different age groups (within the family, the educational system, the professions, the political system or elsewhere) can be significantly improved, becoming less problematic, more transparent and certainly more effective. To base our examination on a more concrete situation, we will focus our analysis specifically on the complex and paradoxical relationship between the Baby Boomers and the generations which have followed them, namely Gerneration X and the so-called Millennials.