In Reflets #128, Clément Boxebeld (E14), founder of the Oldyssey media site, shares what he’s learned after several years of reporting on the role of senior citizens around the world. We’ve made this extract of the interview available for free… subscribe to read the rest of the issue!

ESSEC Alumni: Why did you launch Oldyssey? 

Clément Boxebeld: In 2030, 30% of the population of Europe will be over 60. We wanted to oppose the common alarmist claims about this fact by hearing from the people at the heart of it all: old people – a term that, when we say it, has no pejorative meaning, and that we’re working to restore as a term for everybody to use. So we went looking for them, starting with a world tour in 2017 with one central question: how are old people seen in other cultures? 

EA: What destinations did you explore?

C. Boxebeld: We travelled around Japan, China, India, Brazil, Colombia, the United States, Canada, Senegal, South Africa and Europe, looking for the best solutions to the challenges of demographic transition. The result is around forty videos, portraits of elderly people and reports on initiatives that result in better inclusion, all of which are available on the Oldyssey site and on Facebook. 

EA: How has your project been received by the public? 

C. Boxebeld: It was a major challenge – we wanted to make a topic that many see as repellent into something exciting. The result is that our most viral videos have been seen hundreds of thousands of times, and have been featured dozens of times in the mainstream media. Over 12,500 people have subscribed to the Facebook page, and our approach is followed and recognised by experts, decision-makers and stakeholders in the silver economy – and enthusiasm for the project is constantly growing.

EA: How are you riding the wave of success? 

C. Boxebeld: We’re currently writing a book that will be published by Éditions du Seuil in October, and we’re preparing for a France-wide tour to discover the most inspiring French initiatives in this area. Financially speaking, we’ve managed to get a number of major public and private partners on board.

EA: What did you learn about the responses to age worldwide? 

C. Boxebeld: Countries whose demographic shift is already fairly advanced (Japan, the United States, Europe) have a social model that ensures that the majority of people have access to medical care and a minimum level of resources for a decent life without having to work. But this is often at the cost of social isolation for the elderly, who are marginalised for their perceived lack of productiveness – ageing is still seen as a decline.
 In less developed regions, the demographic transition is only just beginning, but looks set to be lightning-fast. At the moment, old people often have to struggle to get by, continuing working to survive and relying on each other. And yet, paradoxically, they’re seen by the majority as better integrated into society – people value their experience more, they’re listened to and they retain influence over collective decisions.

EA: Would France benefit from looking to other countries on this issue?

C. Boxebeld: […]

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni

Published as part of “Silver économie : vers un âge d’or des seniors ?” [The silver economy: towards a golden age for senior citizens?] in Reflets #128. To access all content from Reflets ESSEC Magazine, click here.

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