Generations as Dividers

Generations as Dividers

13 September 2025

Another powerful divider in society is the generation gap. A generational gap has existed throughout history, yet the clash with the baby boomers feels particularly sharp. Why? Perhaps because so many of today’s unavoidable transitions—climate change, the debt-driven economy, the erosion of welfare states, even the digital revolution—are being booked on the account of the baby boom generation. They are seen as the generation that consumed the future and left the bill for their children and grandchildren. Whether this is fair or not, it fuels resentment.

Still, this is primarily a Western narrative. In the West, especially in Europe and the Americas, we tend to frame change as a zero-sum game between generations: the old must step aside so the young can take over. On Curaçao, this same narrative emerges: the idea that it is time to hand leadership over to the younger generations.

But here lies the paradox. These younger generations are not only dealing with an economy stacked against them but also with an unprecedented mental health pandemic. Rising anxiety, burnout, and depression are shaping their outlook on life. Handing them the full burden of the future—without the active participation and guidance of older generations—seems not only unfair but also dangerous.

In the East, the story is different. There, generational conflict is absent or far less pronounced. This is not simply the product of authoritarian regimes. It is deeply connected to Confucian philosophy, where everything has its order and hierarchy. Elders hold authority not because they cling to power but because they are expected to make decisions with the long-term well-being of the younger generations in mind. This continuity of responsibility explains why the East has managed such rapid progress in recent decades, compared to the West, where internal divides slow collective action.

Yet, the recent events in Nepal show that even in the East, the balance is shifting. When the government banned social media, it triggered a wave of protests led by Generation Z. What began as frustration over digital freedoms quickly grew into a broader revolt against corruption, inequality, and entrenched privilege. Buildings burned, lives were lost, and the Prime Minister resigned. It was not a culture war but a generational uprising, born of the belief that the system had failed the young.

The lesson is clear: the West cannot afford to waste energy on generational blame games, and the East cannot assume that deference will hold forever. Progress requires the wisdom of the old, the energy of the young, and the creativity of those in between. We need bridge-builders—people who connect generations, translate between perspectives, and weave together different forms of experience into a shared path forward.

Without these bridges, the divide will only grow wider. And a society at war with itself—young against old—will never win the battles of climate, economy, or justice.

Miguel Goede