• Demographers have developed the concept of
DEPENDANCY LOAD. This is a measure of the
population that is dependant, not actively
employed.
• The population pyramid can be used to
illustrate the dependancy load. If there are
many children in a society, it can be very
difficult for a society to meet the needs of
children and seniors.
• When the earners in a country are low,
governments may have to borrow a lot of
money from other countries, or put high taxes
on their working citizens.
• In 1961, during the peak of the Baby Boom,
the dependancy ratio was 87%. As a result
the government had to spend a lot of money
building schools and recreational facilities for
this demographic group.
• By 2001 the ratio had fallen to 58% per
100 working age people. During the next
three decades the dependancy load will
climb again
• This time the large percent of the
population will not be children, it will be
aging boomers.
Think about it!
• What are some of the challenges
Canadian society will have to
face?
• There are many reasons why Canada can be
seen as prepared for this demographic shift.
• Many baby boomers approaching old age are
already well-prepared for their approaching
retirement.
• Many of them have been depositing 10% of
their income into PENSION FUNDS for years
with further amounts deposited by the
government or their employers.
• About a third of Canadian taxpayers
contribute to RRSP’s (Registered Retirement
Savings Funds)
• The government is eager to see fewer people
dependent on the government because the
funds they have set aside cannot support a
generation of people who will live 20-25 years
past their retirement.
• http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_fonda_life_s_
third_act - t-657973
• (11 mins)
• Read through pages 231-239 from text about
aging.
• Read article “As Life Expectancy…”
Generational Theories
• Now that we have looked in detail at the
Millenials and the Baby Boomers, we are
going to take a look at some generational
theories proposed by social scientists.
• Some theories take the macrosociological
approach; the sociological study of large-scale
social systems and long-term patterns and
processes.
• Other theories take the microsociological
approach; the sociological study of small groups
and social units within a larger social system.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVeSykcQeE (macro vs. micro- 3 mins)
• Generation theories help to clarify the views
held by different generational groups in
society and to explain the relationships
between generations. They help to examine
how society changes over time due to the
values and attitudes held by each group and
to explain the communication challenges
between groups in society that may hinder
societal progress.
Karl Mannheim and Fresh Contacts
• Karl Mannheim claimed that young people learn
important values from their parents and
communities. He believed that entire groups
share similar ideals and will continue to hold
these ideals throughout their lifetimes.
• Fresh contact: as young people mature and give
personal meaning to their surroundings, they are
able to form value systems from their own
experiences that do not align with the values of
other generations.
• Social location: refers to the influence birth year
has on an individuals consciousness. Individuals
of the same generation share the same social
context and occupy a common space in history.
These shared elements create a generational
connection or consciousness and greatly
influence the individuals attitudes values and
views. Social action and social views throughout
an individuals lifetime will be linked to those of
his or her generation.
• How do you think your ‘social location’
would affect your beliefs about the
environment, compared with the
environmental beliefs of someone born
in 1930?
Strauss-Howe Generational Theory
• William Strauss and Neil Howe are historians
who have identified a repeating cycle in
generational values.
• They identified four different generational
archetypes (universal symbols or patterns).
• They believe that generational values
alternate between four distinct eras which
they call “turnings”.
• They named the four turnings (each 20 year
generation) the PROPHET, NOMAD, HERO and
ARTIST generations.
• According to the theory, each of the four
turnings appears, becomes popular, and gives
way to the next.
• The cycle always begins with a generation in
crisis.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvQ_eHc
H-oY
• (infowars- 4 mins)
• In groups of four or five, read article on
Strauss-Howe generational theory
• Each group will be assigned a ‘turn’ (there will
be doubles), create a short presentation
(markers and large paper) explaining your
topic to the class. Fill in the chart.
Generational Replacement
• The theory of general replacement claims that
changes in adolescent attitudes are important
markers in long-term social change.
• The ideas formed during adolescence will
inform and shape that person’s world view
well into adult life.
• Therefore, examining beliefs among youth will
help determine future social trends.
• While a tween is not yet in the midst of
adolescence, he or she will face a variety of
obstacles in the next few years including;
transitioning from elementary school to high
school, approaching puberty, increasing
responsibilities and exposure to things like
drugs, sex and alcohol. Tweens can be a
challenge to parent, one minute they can be
sweet and loving, the next they can be moody
and difficult.
The emergence of “Tweens”
• ‘Tweens’ are defined as children between the
ages of approximately 8 and 13
• The social pressures for teens and tweens to
act and perform as adults – mostly driven by
the marketing climate- are pushing tweens to
shape and be a large part of consumer
behaviour from a young age
• Tweens have an enormous spending power in
the United States and are targeted by
marketers for their money. It was the tween
market that made Hannah Montana, the Jonas
Brothers, and Harry Potter household names.
Many parenting experts believe tweens are
growing up too fast and are exposed to
unhealthy doses of violence, sex, drugs and
other behaviours through tv, video games,
online games, movies and books.
• Dramatic physical, mental, and social changes
take place during the tween years. Brain
development at this age is dramatic for both
boys and girls.
• Socially, tweens are under pressure to fit in
and it is at this sensitive time that tweens are
most likely to face bullies and other social
challenges.
The Sexualization of Tweens
• http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/sexua
lization-tweens-14360562
• (5:30 mins)
Why do Tweens matter? What are the
trends relating to tweens?
• According to social scientists, children are
getting more socially relevant than ever
before.
• They are afforded more rights and are
encouraged to express their individuality at a
younger age- both in opinion and fashion- and
are decision makers and consumers in many
families.
The Sexualization of Tweens
• http://mediasmarts.ca/marketingconsumerism/marketing-and-consumerismspecial-issues-tweens-and-teens
• (article)
• What might be some of the results of the
extra pressures on Tweens to act more like
teenagers and adults? Write a list of what you
think some of the psychological and social
effects could be. How could these issues
follow them into adulthood?
• Surviving the Teenage Brain (45 mins)
• http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/s
urviving-the-teenage-brain