Agnieszka Domagała-Kręcioch Pedagogical University of Cracow, Ingardena 4, 30-060 Cracow, Poland agnieszka.domagala-krecioch@up.krakow.pl Joanna Wnęk-Gozdek Pedagogical University of Cracow, Ingardena 4, 30-060 Cracow, Poland joanna.wnek-gozdek@up.krakow.pl kowie. DOI 10.24917/9788394156893.11
According to W. Walkowska, if we talk about older people at all in Poland, it is most ten about their present needs or necessity to provide material or social security. Most of-ten, seniors are a bargaining chip in parliamentary or local elections (Walkowska, 2006, p. 184). As noticed by I. Lipowicz, communication regarding seniors often emphasizes their need for education and presents them as excluded individuals who, for example, struggle with obtaining basic computer skills, and therefore need training in this area.
Despite the fact that such activities are beneficial for seniors, they lead to a belief that older people have nothing to offer to the younger generations (Lipowicz, 2014). The value of professional experiences and life wisdom of the oldest citizens is often ques-tioned, without recognition that without them the world of values and traditions would be long gone. We live in times of prefigurative, future-oriented culture (Mead, 1978). All changes happen very fast and are unpredictable and potentially risky. Young generation is forced to respond to these changes, adjust to current conditions and constantly update their adaptation strategies. According to M. Mead, this culture rejects the past, tradi-tion and former authorities. As a result, we have uncertain behaviors and unstable value system. Thus, there is a need to create a new tradition, to search for new standards and canons. This search is often based on trial and error method. Young generation is seen as having a solid knowledge about the surrounding reality and knowing how to function in the society. It is presented as a standard for the other generations. The consequence is weaker sense of family and group identity (Karmolińska-Jagodzik, 2012), and lack of rooting necessary for the development of man. As the main evidence thereof, the propo-nents of intergenerational programs cite the disappearance of authority from the grandpar-ent–grandchild relationship and the reinforcement of mutual stereotypical opinions which, in their opinion, may disrupt the transmission of tradition and cultural continuity. (New-man, Faux, & Larimer, 1997; Kupetz, 1994; Granville & Ellis, 1999: Gamliel, Reichental
& Eyal 2007).
Moreover, according to M. Marcjanik, “’in the age of cult of youth’ (and achievements of cosmetology), as well as ever more advanced and wide spreading technologies and chang-ing communication systems, old people are not only someone with whom young people have no mutually satisfactory relations but they even become obstacles in professional career (hiring retired workers blocks potential vacancies), loosing authority of more ex-perienced persons — sages. They do not accept dynamic civilizational and moral trans-formations so they are a potential source of conflicts. While in 1970’s, an old person was jokingly called Ra-moll (R-minor) by musical school students (e.g. an evening in R-mi-nor meant a ‘meeting in a company of old people’, TN: from Polish word ramol meaning a dodderer and moll meaning minor scale in music), today young people call seniors resets (someone who has begun to reset themselves), screensavers (someone who is fading off) or a no IP buddies. These recent expressions, derived from the computer language (...) are less of a word game and rather indicate intention to dominate, discredit old people (as less intellectually able) and even get rid of them as used and useless (2014, p. 17). However, we
need to remember that “the more we try to push old age away in the society, isolate it from our daily reality, the bigger loss for the whole society” (Mielczarek, 2014, p. 317). And it is not only about economical consequences. Our society will loose contact with one of the most important intellectual resource and repository of life wisdom.
Another major problem is the common belief that older people have no right to ex-pect anything from life, to pursuit their dreams or set new trends and encourage young people. An example of this attitude may be words of an Internet user commenting the blog post “Ask the young” by a pedagogue, D. Chętkowski: “I’m creating a profession of Senior’s Mentor. Mentor means wise. Young people will be mentors. They understand modern world, communication, technologies. Old people struggle with it, do not get it mentally. What can I, at the age of 62, pass on to the generation 18+? Rubbish. Because I have lived in different times... Different world, different values” (Chętkowski, 2017).
Yet, knowledge and experience of the elderly are a precious source of reflections on life and building blocks of intergenerational solidarity, which should play the primary role in the knowledge society. The paper must have an abstract. The abstract should be self-contained and understandable by a general reader outside the context of the paper. Ac-cording to the report utitled “Intergenerational Solidarity” from 2009, a large majority of EU citizens agreed with the opinion that older people make a big contribution to the society. Manly becasue of their voluntary work in charitable and community organisa-tions in their country. The data shows that around 4 in 10 responders in Poland (39%) and Romania (43%), to more than 9 in 10 of the Irish, British, Portuguese and Dutch interviewees (between 91% and 95%) agree that older people make a major contribution to the european society (Intergenerational Society 2009: 20–21).
As noticed by McAdams and de St. Aubin (1992): ”the concern about passing on wisdom, knowledge, and skills to the next generation is one of the important aspects of generativity”.
The research indicate that the young generation in Poland — against assumptions of the dominating culture — constantly benefits form the spiritual inheritance created by pre-vious generations. This process is not always conscious (Borowik, 2014, p. 91), although some activities for building the intergenerational dialogue are being undertaken, em-phasizing mutual benefits that may result from such dialogue. Environments and spaces are set up, in which the capital possessed by seniors may be developed and transferred to other generations. There are also attempts to change the established, and often stereo-typical, image of old people. In case of older people, these changes refer to their lifestyle and the way they see themselves and their role in the modern technology-based society.
Activities undertaken within the initiatives like Universities of the Third Age are aimed at changing attitudes of seniors and the whole society.
The list of social attributes of seniors is long: long-term perception of reality; rather sta-ble social status; self-awareness of personal needs and the most effective ways to meet them; emotional distance towards reality; years of verifying and internalizing values that shape social life (Borowik, 2014, p. 91). The list includes values that are necessary to
preserve continuity of life, sense of security and chances for constant development, free-dom, justice, peace, solidarity and respect for others (Struzik, 2003, p. 118).
According to W. Wnuk, the potential of senior citizens includes the following elements:
– Life wisdom (knowledge and experience related to life). Life wisdom of seniors trans-lated into their spiritual riches that involves such attitudes as: responsibility, caring, prudence, emotional balance or empathy;
– Social potential, or relational potential, described in literature as social capital (en-gagement in activities beneficial do the society, for example developing social bonds, restoring social relationships, volunteer activity) (Wnuk, 2003, p. 60);
– Family life potential, for example building family bonds, passing on family traditions;
– Psychological potential consisting of: knowledge that facilitates success; sense of ef-fectiveness (trust in one’s own abilities); optimism, hope (strong will, perseverance in achieving goals), distance towards life or flexibility (ability to persevere in difficult situations);
– Cultural transmission potential — refers to historical and patriotic memory re-garding certain cities, regions, countries. This potential includes autobiographical knowledge that allows seniors to learn from their own biographies and biographies of others;
– Potential in the form of mastering their profession — involves professional expertise and practical experience often in “dying” professions, for example leather-working or black-smithing (Wnuk, 2003, p. 61–65).