Readers have been eerily quiet throughout my series on Jung’s Seven Tasks of Aging.
However, since subscribers to my blog have increased by about 15% during that time, maybe people are pondering before they pontificate.
Being more specific about how to apply insights about those tassks to marketing might have brought greater response, but the 300 words I try to stick with in my posts leave little room for details. I mainly try to drop new thoughts here and there in readers’ mind and leave the rational development of those thoughts to readers' ruminations.
I introduced this series to highlight key differences in worldviews between younger and older consumers.
It’s not that many older people would name any of the Seven Tasks as a priority goal. These tasks are developmental and though they are ever-present we’re mostly unconscious of their influence on our behavior.
Developmental tasks differ by season of life. Members of the “much coveted” 18-39 demo have specific developmental tasks to accomplish in pursuit of social and vocational success. Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene, says these tasks are in service of distributing one’s genes.
Never mind that gene propagation is not on everyone’s agenda. Urges that result in offspring for others are simply applied to recreation of self in ways other than biological.
In any event, consumer behavior of the young is strongly influenced by what it takes to fulfill the developmental tasks that mark their season of life.
In the second half of life, developmental tasks have a less worldly and egocentric mien. More of a person’s focus likely turns toward needs of the group. This change in focus makes narcissistic ploys that have been a large part of marketing genre less effective in a marketplace dominated by people in the second half of life.
David,
Your most recent post brings me out of the lurking woods.
I've been following this Jungian line with great interest. It intersects closely with a longstanding interest of mine regarding the time (unfortunately, still in the future) when we Boomers will step proudly into the ancient role of tribal elders. I believe our deep rejection/denial of aging and death stems from our collective fantasy that we were the end of history; that we would, to borrow from Crosby, Still and Nash, "save the world." All would be in our image after us.
Of course, this was pure narcissism.
We now find ourselves pathetically holding onto collective fantasies ("60 is the new 30", "Cialis: when a relaxing moment turns into the right moment, will you be ready?", and so on), unable to face the tasks intrisic to our time.
It's not the poignance of Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" that we hear in our collective voice, but the ceaseless repetition of our generational motto, "Look at me, I'm special!"
Now, we'll see if someone can find ways to cast light on our developmental realities AND and market products/services/experiences in a manner that is more than simply manipulative (repackaging the same things in slicker skins).
Meanwhile, if I hear one more Rolling Stones song used in a commercial...
Posted by: Tom | August 23, 2004 at 10:15 PM
"These tasks are developmental and though they are ever-present we’re mostly unconscious of their influence on our behavior."
Just been silent because I'm mostly taking it in. I'm on the cusp of Boomer and Gen X.
But I wonder if not more people do have an interest - perhaps placed squarely as a priority - in actively engaging in personal development, or what Clayton Christensen I've noted calls 'personal innovation'. At first, this might be 'pure narcissism' as Tom above notes. If one keeps going with 'personal' development - at least in my own experience - it enters into the deeply transpersonal realm.
Posted by: Evelyn Rodriguez | August 27, 2004 at 06:53 PM
First, a response to Tom:
You wrote: "I believe our deep rejection/denial of aging and death stems from our collective fantasy that we were the end of history; that we would, to borrow from Crosby, Still and Nash, "save the world." All would be in our image after us.
Of course, this was pure narcissism."
Good call! I've long said that altruism is not defined by the act but by the motives underlying the act. Keeping in mind that contemporary brain science says we generally have poor insight into our underlying motivations at any age, it's not too far-fetched to assert that much of the cause-driven behavior in the 1960s and '70s was rooted more in narcissism than in altruism than commonly appreciated.
Also, Tom, the days of boomers beginning to fill the ranks of our "tribal elders" are at hand. As an older, Silent Generation member, I see the signs quite clearly.
To Evelyn: You wrote: But I wonder if not more people do have an interest - perhaps placed squarely as a priority - in actively engaging in personal development, or what Clayton Christensen I've noted calls 'personal innovation'. At first, this might be 'pure narcissism' as Tom above notes. If one keeps going with 'personal' development - at least in my own experience - it enters into the deeply transpersonal realm."
Your observations about "narcissism" are on target. At first glance -- and I'm often asked about this -- the increased turning toward the inner self at higher levels of psychological maturation can appear to be a narcissistic turn of events. However,it's a an necessary exercise in service of the Fifth Task of Aging -- finding new rooting of the self from which one's view of the world, life and death is seen from a broader perspective than permitted by a narcissistic worldview.
Good thoughts from both of you guys! Thanks.
Posted by: David Wolfe | August 28, 2004 at 12:21 PM