Back in My Day: Storytelling shifts from caves to the cloud
A big reason why I pursued studying the lives and physiology of older people was to fill a gap from my childhood. Growing up over 7,000 miles from my grandparents, I never experienced the surprise of finding their knitting supplies in cookie tins or hearing them reminisce about stories of the past. Yet, while I substituted those experiences with only tidbits and pieces that my parents were able to share with me, there is still a part of me that always juts out and asks the dreaded “what-ifs” — and that’s never fun.
Storytelling is a gift that has existed since the very foundations of human life, with the first instances of visual storytelling present in the caves of Lascaux and Chavaux, France. The stories that we share today, on the other hand, are most commonly seen through short clips online. Although not as visually appealing as cave paintings, the modern storytelling process spotlights an intergenerational nature and breaks down traditional family dynamics.
It goes without saying that the stories of older people have interestingly played a bigger role in our lives than we assume. They are often brought up in conversations or personal statements, such as the Common App, as a type of inspiration; after all, this column is based on that very idea.
The introduction of new social media platforms over the past decade has allowed for a rapid growth in the variety and frequency of storytelling, otherwise known as “content creation” for the purposes of this column. Granted, not all content on the internet is as emotionally moving as your grandparents or parents reminding you how they crossed oceans and climbed mountains to get to school, but the ability for younger people to share their stories and experiences paves a way for mutual, intergenerational understanding.
Sure, we did not have to trudge in a crocodile-infested river to get our diploma, but the challenges that developing adults face today may almost feel emotionally and mentally similar. Albeit, a dynamic job market emerging from a global pandemic in the midst of a climate crisis is pretty hefty to handle.
“But Lois,” you — the informed, inquisitive reader — ask. “Several older people have done those things too — look at major wars or sudden market crashes. What differentiates their experiences from those today?”
You’re absolutely right; every generational cohort has lived through some significant historical event that essentially serves as a marker for that group. Events such as the World Wars — hence Baby Boomers — or the moon landing can help demographers map out those general cohorts. In lieu of that, there are several historical and life-changing events that remind us that the more things change, the more they stay the same. However, the rampant expansion of digital media and content creation have dramatically changed the ways we receive and digest information.
The rapid transfer of information through the tap of a button is a simplification of the world we live in today. Therefore, stories that we learn about and share stem from all parts of the human lifespan. That does not mean we should totally disregard the lessons we learn from older adults, per se, but we have ample opportunities to take an original approach to key issues facing society today.
For instance, let’s look at the job market. We can recognize different stories across different age groups and evaluate how to improve hiring processes and workplace environments. Some older workers may be pushed aside by employers, considered to be liabilities or “old-fashioned” in the changing workplace. On the flip side, newcomers to the job market may be considered inexperienced or lazy in comparison to other age groups. Changing the way we approach those issues can dramatically improve workflow and chemistry in the workspace.
Unfortunately, conflict is a definite byproduct of looking for answers in several different places; sources of information across our lifespans will have different perspectives. Even when applying to college or graduate schools, we are bound to hear several different takes on the best way to get in — whether it be somehow making a Fortune 500 company at the age of 17, just taking an absurd amount of APs or just being yourself. At the end of the day, goals have a tendency to align but each person has their own journey with its respective twists and turns. That’s life.
I’m considering just doing a tl;dr — too long; didn’t read — because I have a tendency to babble on, but that’s beside the point. Simply said, storytelling is an artform that was often reserved and regarded for older adults given their wisdom and plethora of experiences. And that’s a totally justifiable and rational decision — science has backed the notion that older people demonstrate a greater deal of wisdom-related knowledge given decades-worth of life experiences. However, it’s critical to recognize that younger storytellers continually join those ranks to help highlight how society evolves with new ideas and trends.
At some point, we will probably be hearing stories from future cohorts on issues almost parallel to those we manage today as they think, “Back in my day …”
Lois Angelo is a junior writing about the timeless lessons learned from older adults. He is also co-chief copy editor of the Daily Trojan.