This document discusses bridging ages and building solidarity between generations. It introduces Bernard Lievegoed's life phases theory, which describes 10 phases of development from ages 0 to 70. The theory holds that different generations develop different abilities and face different challenges according to their life phase. The document then examines the phases from ages 40-70 in depth, outlining typical experiences, abilities, and opportunities for connection between age groups. It argues that understanding life phases can help different generations find shared topics and meanings to strengthen intergenerational solidarity.

1. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Bridging the ages search-shop Ronald van Tol
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

2. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Exploring ways
of age diversity
and connection
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

3. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Outline
• Short introduction into aging
• Introduction in life phases theory Lievegoed
• In depth 40 – 70 years
• Abilities and skills developed in phases
• Shared topics and shared meanings ?
How to connect in a club?
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

4. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
About aging
• We grow older
– Life expectancy grew by 15 years
– Average lifetime + 7 years
1950 2012
80,7
76
72,7
70,4
man woman
average lifetime
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

5. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW About aging (2)
• ‘Fertility’ rate went down
3-4
2-3
1-2
0-1
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

6. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW Result of aging
• 1950: 66% - 33%
• 2008: 50% - 50%
share population rel age category
1950 2008
37,3
35,3
29,4
26 25,6
24
11
6,7
3,8
1
<20 jaar 20-40 40-65 65-80 >80
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

7. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
AGING IS
FOR TOMORROW
NOT A
PROBLEM,
IT IS A
BLESSING
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

8. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW A different angle?
• Awareness of life phases
• Discovering topics in life phases
• Gaining abilities
• Connection opportunities.
• Understanding
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

9. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Bernard Lievegoed
• 1905 - 1992
• Anthroposophist
• Psychiatrist and Pediatrician
• Organization expert
• Developed life phases theory
– Book: ‘Phases’
“… an insight of one’s own life and recognition of the biographic development
of others.”
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

10. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Explaining theory
• Why: different way of looking at life
– Life time and life time
• Layer 1: Structure & overview
• Layer 2: Phases 40 – 70 detailed
• Layer 3: Opportunities and abilities
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

11. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
The theory
Spiritual and social development
Psychic development
Physical development
20 30 40 60 80
7 21 66% -the ages: Lecture R. van42MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012 63
50% 33% - 50% 70
Bridging Tol

12. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW 10 stages of 7 years
0 – 21 years 21 – 42 years 42 – 70 and beyond
• Welcome and • First maturity & • Midlife crisis &
wondering partners talent
• Childhood and • Social position & • Eminent leadership
fantasy power • Detachment &
• Puberty and • Crisis of values priorities
adolescence • Evaluation and
creativity
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

13. Suppose you are about 35…
BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
• A nice family
• A satisfying income
• A good position
• A rewarding job
• Power to take decisions
• The world’s an oyster.
• A result from your fifth life stage: striving for position and
power
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

14. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW Crisis of values
• 35 – 42 years
• Questioning the values of your achievements
• Questioning your value system
• Value system apt for matter
• Value system not for social context
• What is life about?
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

15. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
The forties: doubt and wonder
• Experiencing physical decline
• Wish: redoing the expansive phase,
now with experience
• Realization of ones’ goal in life
• Whom does my talent serve?
– "You can't get very far until you
start doing something for somebody
else." Melvin Jones
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

16. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
The choice
Spiritual and social development
Psychic development
Physical development
20 30 40 60 80
7 21 66% -the ages: Lecture R. van42MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012 63
50% 33% - 50% 70
Bridging Tol

17. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW The fifties: eminence
• Idealization of one’s own experience
• ‘Today’s youngsters’.
– “Nowadays our youth has…bad manners, despises authority and has no respect
for the elderly. They prefer chit chat to training. They contradict their
parents… and tyrannize their teachers.”
Socrates, 470 – 399 BC
• Versus
– Mildness: A distant perspective to daily problems
• “The highest result of education is tolerance.” H. Keller
– Joy in seeing youngsters grow
• Accepted advisor and coach
– Creating a masterpiece
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

18. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW Early sixties: Stirb und werde
• Reliving values
– What is so valuable to take with me
• Evaluating one´s values versus society
• Priorities and detachment
• Creating a legacy / statue
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

19. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Mid sixties - seventies
• Inner world
• Evaluation
• Creativity and freedom
• Advisory and coaching work?
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

20. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
Achievements
coaching acceptance
doubt mild and master
position
Psychic development serve from talent
Physical development
20 30 40 60 80
7 21 66% -the ages: Lecture R. van42MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012 63
50% 33% - 50% 70
Bridging Tol

21. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW Abilities
• Position – competing
• Doubt – research – questioning
• Serving from talent – self reflecting – intuition
• Mildness and mastering – put in perspective –
perseverance
• Coaching – empathy, discovering needs
• Acceptance – letting go, being
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

22. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
The meeting
• 45 – 55 year old • 60 – 70 year old
• Doubts one’s values • Prioritisation and
• Searching for the grail creativity
• Finding the grail • Advisory / coaching work
• Creating the masterpiece • Evaluating societal values
• Detachment
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

23. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
The efforts, the fun and the meaning
• Coaches for masters?
• Learning to be coach?
• Putting talent to work?
• Putting talent to society?
• Empowering society?
• Tolerance as therapy of acceptance?
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012

24. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY
FOR TOMORROW
R. Van Tol MMC CMC
Gentspolder 19
4617 MN Bergen op Zoom
+ 31 6 22 21 20 23
office@vantoladvies.nl
Bridging the ages: Lecture R. van Tol MMC CMC Lions Europaforum 2012