Human Being

Categories of Human Existence

Ages of Life. Generations

Human life is measured in years, with these years grouped into various age phases, each corresponding to a set of social roles played by individuals, which in turn align with specific expectations and behavioral standards. A group of people of the same age is commonly referred to as a generation. The approaches to delineating age phases are numerous and depend on the culture that has developed at any given time. In the Middle Ages, for instance, seven phases of human life were identified, each associated with the seven known planets of the time. There were also classifications based on the signs of the Zodiac, or measured in four segments of twenty years each, all of which somehow resonated with the biological rhythms of human existence. Today, various fields of study encompass the age-related periodization of the human life cycle, including anthropology, psychophysiology, pediatrics, pedagogy, gerontology, and sociology. Each of these disciplines employs somewhat differing approaches and methodologies in the division of a person's life journey. Thus, it is quite conditional to distinguish the following age phases: childhood (up to 15 years), the age of maturity (from 16-18 to 30-35 years), middle age (from 30-35 to 45-50 years), old age (from 45-50 to 60-65 years), senior age (60-75), late senior age (75-90), and longevity (over 90 years). The contemporary American researcher Erik Homburger Erikson (1902-1994) identified eight phases of human life, asymmetrically weighted toward the earlier years, as significant psychological traits essential for later life are established during these formative stages: infancy, early childhood, play age (from 5 to 7 years), school age, adolescence, youth, adulthood, and old age. Erikson's classification gained popularity and is intriguing in that it demonstrates how, under normal stage-by-stage development, an individual can timely acquire qualities necessary for psychosocial adaptation to an ever-expanding social environment and interaction within it. When development proceeds more or less normally, an individual gradually acquires the following qualities: a predominance of basic trust in people and surroundings over mistrust (1st phase), autonomy over shame and doubt (2nd phase), initiative over guilt (3rd phase), industriousness over feelings of inferiority (4th phase), identity over role confusion (5th phase), intimacy over isolation (6th phase), generativity over stagnation (7th phase), and integrity over despair (8th phase). Each of these normally lived phases opens the possibility for the formation of foundational virtues, which do not vanish but rather accumulate, one upon the other: Hope, Willpower, Purposefulness, Competence, Fidelity, Love, Care, Wisdom. Erikson designates these virtues as foundational because “without their renewal from generation to generation, all other, more variable systems of human values lose meaning and relevance.”

How long does each phase last? This question may remain open, as there are fluctuations depending on biological and social differences. Moreover, as the French historian Marc Bloch (1886-1944) pointed out, “the boundaries between generations contract and expand depending on the more or less rapid pace of social change.” It is crucial to emphasize the main point: to realize oneself as a living human being means to traverse all phases of life. Each has its value. On the other hand, they can all be envisioned as specific stage platforms, where, notably, delays or premature ascensions may occur. One might encounter adults whose behavior and low levels of responsibility resemble that of adolescents, as they have become stuck halfway to social adulthood. Conversely, some retain much of their youth well into old age. It is common in colloquial speech to use the ironic expression "growing old" for someone acting like an elder, and "acting childish" for an elder behaving like a child.

The question of generations was also addressed by the Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. He believed that at any moment in history, representatives of three generations (young, mature, and old) are at play, covering ages from 16-18 to 60-65 years. The social life of each generation lasts approximately 30 years, which can be divided into two parts. During the first approximately 15 years, a new generation seeks to disseminate its ideas, loyalties, and thoughts. Their standards begin to prevail in the following 15 years. If the ideas of the older generation lean toward extremism, the new generation's ideas tend to be anti-extremist, manifesting as a yearning to restore the past. Ortega y Gasset likened generations to a caravan, in which we willingly move forward together. Social crises arise when the distance between generations grows too rapidly. However, it is pertinent to note that various social crises that can disrupt the natural rhythm of generational change have their limits: the frequency of social changes should approach the frequency of natural generational change.

The American researcher Margaret Mead (1901-1978) pointed out that cultural types can be distinguished based on the interconnections between generations. Building on this idea, she identified three types of cultures:

1. postfigurative - where children primarily learn from their predecessors;
2. configurative - where children and adults learn from their peers;
3. prefigurative - where adults also learn from their children.

Mead classified so-called primitive societies, as well as religious or ideological enclaves, as postfigurative cultures, in which the old provide examples of life to the young. Configurative cultures, according to her, are unstable and episodic, emerging during times of socio-economic crises. Given the dynamism of contemporary life and the possible debates about the advantages of one generation over another, Mead models a dialogue between generations: “Not long ago, the older generations could say, ’Listen, I was young, and you have never been old.’ But today they might be responded to with, ’You have never been young in the world that I am young in, and you never will be.’”

The generational dimension of social life encompasses a rich spectrum. Let us take note of just a few of its aspects.

A) Generations and Rights.

In society, a certain dominance of one generation over another may emerge (e.g., gerontocracy, or the rule of the elderly). The great Polish educator Janusz Korczak (1878-1942), who perished in a fascist concentration camp after refusing to abandon the children in his care, articulated a "Great Charter of Children's Freedoms," wherein he proclaimed the child's right to the present moment, the right of the child to be what they are. In this context, a discourse on the legal equality of generations may unfold, concerning the legal protection of all those generations that are typically distinguished within a given society. The idea of comparing the rights of a generation with the rights of the people as a trans-temporal community is also pertinent. The rights of the currently existing generation ought, evidently, to be secondary to the rights of the people (which encompasses future generations, since "people" is an eternal category of humanity).

B) Generations and Culture.

The projection of the generational problem onto the sphere of culture may prove quite heuristic. Indeed, innovations in culture are often initiated by the younger generation, as they are the most dynamic segment of the populace. Folklore researchers indicate that a significant portion of the spiritual culture of the people is created by the cohort aged 16 to 20. Furthermore, each generation crafts its own subculture, and individuals, as they navigate the stages of generations, consistently find themselves immersed in different cultural strata. In social life, a certain shift in the dominant orientations toward various generations occurs. The aforementioned Philippe Ariès observed, "It seems as if each epoch has its privileged age and its periodization of human life: youth as the privileged age of the 17th century, childhood of the 19th, and adolescence of the 20th century." The privileged generation spontaneously spreads its distinctive fashion, manners, and lifestyle far beyond its immediate boundaries. This expansion dismantles traditional generational borders: the younger ones gravitate toward the privileged generation sooner, while the older ones strive to remain within its confines.

C) Generations and Social Differentiation.

For an extended period, social sciences predominantly employed either a class or an ethnic approach in analyzing social structure, largely neglecting the generational perspective. However, the aspirations of many countries to transition toward a policy of liberal democracy necessitate the consideration of the interests and needs of all societal strata, including generations. Policy must account for the increasing number of retirees, declining birth rates, and youth unemployment. The stability of society hinges upon the balanced satisfaction of the interests of all generations. Moreover, this issue is significant in the direct economic realm: the consumer market in a society characterized by liberal democracy must reflect the needs of all consumers.

D) Personality and Generations.

In this aspect, an extraordinarily rich spectrum of thoughts and emotions emerges. A person's normal worldview is formed when they traverse the path of generations alongside their peers. They are collectively guided by a cultural brotherhood, a unity of fate. The individual’s destiny is as if embedded in the destiny of their generation. The loss of one’s generation is perceived quite tragically. The absence of peers, with whom our lives were once filled with vibrancy, casts a shadow of sorrow upon the individual’s consciousness: "They are no longer here, and those are far away." (Pushkin); "And many are no longer alive, those who were once cheerful, young!" (words from a song). However, here too, one must avoid extremes: questions can be raised about liberation from the "tyranny of generations." Traditionally, it has been thought that each generation (the boundaries of which are historical) is suited to do one thing and not another, and generations vigilantly monitored to ensure no peer deviated from the norm, nor presented themselves as overly "old" or excessively "young" compared to their true state. Recently, public opinion, especially in rural areas, has critically regarded late-life education, engagement in physical culture and sports, and radical changes in personal life. The other side of this matter pertains to preparing individuals for their entry into a new, subsequent generation. Each age demands a fresh installment of socialization from its subjects. To unexpectedly find oneself in a new generation is a significant drama for an individual. Only youth revels in the long-awaited attainment of adulthood; beyond that, the progression through ages is not joyfully received by all. It is wise for one who strategizes their life to account for the material, emotional, and other expenditures necessary for the adaptive needs of entering the next generation and exiting the previous one painlessly.

The categories of human existence we have examined are far from exhausting their extensive list. Others deserving of analysis include human communication and understanding, happiness and freedom, love and friendship, loneliness, creativity, and more. Philosophy does not overlook these themes, and literature addressing these questions is plentiful. We hope that the examples presented here will inspire an independent intellectual journey through the categories cultivated by civilized humanity.