RASCAL REPORT
An eye on baby boomers since 2022
Odder still how possessed I am with the feeling that now, aged 50, I’m just poised to shoot forth quite free straight and undetected my bolts whatever they are... These are the soul’s changes. I don’t believe in aging. I believe in forever altering one’s aspect to the sun. Hence my optimism.
– Virginia Woolf
As older TikTok creators flourish, brands are signing them up
TikTok is gaining traction with older users, so brands are following them there, said Mae Karwowski, founder of Obviously, an influencer marketing agency that connects companies with content creators. Her agency works with Amazon and others to find TikTok influencers over 55. These creators have been finding success by sharing life lessons and fashion tips, cooking, interacting with grandchildren or just being funny — while also promoting products.
Unleashing harmony: Mastering the five-generation workplace
Imagine your next meeting is like a gathering of the decades. There's Jake, the 20-something Gen-Z intern who's a tech whiz; Lisa, the energetic Millennial, passionately leading the project with enthusiasm; the Gen-X manager, Mike has a knack for balance and a pragmatic approach; Susan, the seasoned Baby Boomer director with her wealth of institutional knowledge; and Robert, the Traditionalist consultant, whose rich experience and wisdom are invaluable.
From the Traditionalist to Gen-Z, we've got five unique generations, each with their own perspectives, skill sets, and work styles, all under one roof. Incredible, right? Yet, as exciting as this sounds, it could also spell potential trouble if not managed correctly. Spanning nearly seven decades, this age diversity can fuel creativity and innovation or spark misunderstanding and conflict.
Baby boomers are going to save the economy as they spend down their $75 trillion nest egg
Market veteran Ed Yardeni says fears of an imminent recession are overblown because millions of baby boomers will soon retire and begin spending down their massive $75 trillion nest egg.
Baby boomers' ability to prop up the US economy comes at a time when economists worry about the depletion of excess consumer savings, which peaked at about $3 trillion during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as millennials prepare for the restart of their student-loan payments.
The ‘silver tsunami’ is coming. Are designers ready?
For years, researchers and policymakers have spoken about the coming demographic shift in epic terms with phrases like “gray wave” or “silver tsunami.” The effects of that shift could be felt as soon as 2030, when one in five Americans is expected to be 65 and over. In the past, members of this demographic would have likely spent the next phase of life in multigenerational home settings or nursing homes—but baby boomers aren’t quite like any generation that came before them. Seeking active lifestyles, social opportunities or simply independence as they reach retirement age, seniors are looking for new ways of living in their golden years, and the design industry is racing to accommodate them.
Survey reveals huge generation gap in AI acceptance
Each generation tends to have a closer relationship to the technology that arises during its existence than generations that came before. This can be seen with how millennials treat social media and smartphones as compared to baby boomers, and it is no different with how AI is perceived by members of various generations as well. PCMag conducted a survey recently that revealed the wide gulf between how different generations feel about AI. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 62% of Millennials think that AI will have a positive impact on their line of work, while 45% of Gen X and 38% of Baby Boomers felt the same way.