The world population is more than three times larger than it was in the mid-20th century. It reached 8 billion by the end of 2022, up from an estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950.

Significant changes are also taking place in this regard—changes so profound that they alone justify the creation of a dedicated field of research.

Many factors converge to present us with a complex landscape: the aging population in many nations is dramatically reducing their workforce, burdening social protection systems, and altering the spending patterns of individuals and families while delaying traditional retirement. Additionally, new generations exhibit logical changes in values and interests, with different perspectives on life, work, and an increasingly cosmopolitan outlook.

There are highly complex elements at play, including people’s intentions, the growing loneliness of the elderly, the rise of single-parent households, the delayed departure of young people from their family “nests,” and a perceived generational unease regarding expectations and the so-called “life dreams.”

Furthermore, the issue of “technological obsolescence” is acting as a major driver of workforce displacement, alongside the influence of “ageism” and the increasing presence of young—and not-so-young—people who struggle to find a place within traditional labor markets and social infrastructures.

In this area, there are a number of boiling cauldrons that place the traditional capitalist system and nation-states in unprecedented situations for which no deferred response exists.

We must work intensively on this, as urgent and essential solutions are required.