Generation COVID-19 and its impact on society

The concept of generation, referring to a set of individuals, has been used for hundreds of years. However, it wasn't until the twentieth century that this term became more widely-known and applied. One of the reasons is that today, and for the first time, up to 5 of these peer groups share the same space. This is a result of increased life expectancy, delayed retirements and shrinking generation gaps. This scenario poses different challenges, such as the design of spaces or the very coexistence of profiles because of their different, let's say, styles. To this we must add new incorporations and what will characterise them, in particular that which we will term the “Generation COVID-19" in this article.

Names and characteristics

A generation refers to a group of people who were born and have lived during the same period and in the same region or geographical area; the latter is sometimes disregarded. The interval ranges from 20 to 25 years, the time required for the so-called "generational shift" to materialise.

Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are said to have been heavily influenced by the Vietnam War (1955-1975), but this only applies to the United States. This historical event impacted Americans far more than those of us who did not live there. The area where one grows up is a determining factor when linking someone to the characteristics of one generation or another. In Russia, the Perestroika Generation, the children of Perestroika, or the Cold War Generation, refers to that particular period in the country's history, and its very singular traits. The Stolen Generations in Australia refers to the Aboriginal children and their descendants, who were separated from their parents between 1869 and 1969. The Born-Free Generation In South Africa identifies those born after 1994, when the first democratic elections were held putting an end to apartheid. In Israel, the generation that survived the Holocaust is referred to as the most decisive generation and the one that has most impacted the population. Each one has its own character, marked by the events that were unfolding as they moved forward in time.

As well as by the place, groups are defined when they are influenced by a common event or agent. This is how the MTV Generation is often described; all the teenagers who watched this new channel as they were growing up in the 80s and 90s (and who still remember it with nostalgia). In this case, place wasn't of so much importance, all you needed was a television. Although the years coincide with Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980), this doesn't necessarily mean that all those born during this period watched the same channels. We see that names may overlap and influences mingle, and so can the characteristics of an individual be different. When we use generations to predict behaviour, especially in the design of spaces, we must take into account age, without forgetting other aspects that may have conditioned the behaviour of individuals. We must consider that the years and names pertaining to the groups are determined by the sources consulted; there is no single correct answer or incorrect year.

The conditioning factors

Millenials (born between 1981 and 2000), are so called because they will still be living their lives at the beginning of the third millennium. As well as being notably affected by climate change and having greater environmental awareness, they have been heavily influenced by the advent of the Internet: instant access to information. This is not a geographical factor as it makes no difference whether you grow up in Europe, Asia, America or Africa. For this very reason, most of the members of this group have very similar traits. Today 65% of the world's population has access to the Web, in fact, it is estimated that it will be 70% by the end of 2021 and, according to CSV, will reach 90% in 2030. This may be the greatest determinant, which in itself has shaped an international generation (for the time being).

Access to the Internet happened gradually, and although it has affected an entire generation, we're still not fully aware of its long-term effects. In a matter of weeks, the pandemic spread and affected people equally across the globe, something unprecedented. If we don't fully understand the repercussions of the Internet on society, I find it unlikely that we will be able to anticipate the social impact of COVID-19, which has caught us unawares. The current social and healthcare situation merges key elements which are catapulting a radical change in behaviour: on one hand, the urgency of the affair, which serves as a turning point, and on the other hand, the period of time during which the individual will be affected by the situation. This period has been especially long and hard on children, who will undoubtedly be the worst affected, although we can't quantify in what way or to what extent.

COVID-19 and children

According to psychologists, a child's earliest memories go back to when they were 4 or 5 years old. The more remarkable they are, the easier it is for them to remember. The suddenness and impact of the event is therefore one of the considerations mentioned. From one day to the next, young children have had to adopt new habits, from their daily routines and activities, to their relationship with spaces and other people. The other consideration is that this has been affecting them for months: they can't go to school, in fact, in many countries they haven't even been able to leave their home. They haven't seen anyone apart from those they live with; they haven't been with their classmates or teachers. They are suffering from what is known as controlled isolation. Yet the return to school will not be easy either. Not being able to physically greet or hug their friends, not playing sport or having lunch together, not sharing toys or simply not seeing each other's faces, can't be good for their development. They hear how family members or acquaintances are dying without understanding why. They are told that it is "a little bug in the air that can kill you if you don't wash your hands properly," as I heard a mother say the other day. Being bombarded with at times contradictory information for months, the only topic of conversation being COVID-19, the sick, the infected, the hospitalised, the deceased, restrictions and lockdown, intensifies the change in behaviour.

Isolation, depression, distrust and a host of phobias are some of the health effects experts predict children may develop. In particular, an increase in latent stress that according to CDC, will potentially lead to a higher suicide rate or increased substance abuse. I don't think teens over 18, who love to party, will see their lives drastically impacted by COVID-19, but the fact is that my 12-year-old niece goes nuts when someone doesn't social distance in a restaurant. Maybe those born between 2005 and 2016 will be called Generation COVID-19 one day, even though they are part of what is now called Generation Z (born between 2001 and 2020). Or perhaps the consequences will be so severe that the latter classification will no longer be used. We'll have to wait and see how all this affects them. We now have an obligation to minimise the impact of what may condition their future. Their exposure time to the subject of coronavirus should be restricted. We must be objective and not overdramatise. We have to curtail access to negative news and give unbiased explanations. In my view, scaremongering and pessimism will not help, nor will it promote children's mental growth and personal development.

When we design spaces for children aged between 4 and 15 to study, play or work, we ought to keep in mind that their perception of the environment or their needs may be different. From the perspective of architecture, Facility Management or psychology, decision-making criteria will factor in the behaviour of people who may be very different now to what they were a few months ago. They might be the new COVID-19 Generation.