The Shame of Ageing During Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Thematic Analysis of Indian Adults

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), a term popularised by Klaus Schwab in 2016, connected the physical-biological and the digital world. This is an era of artificial intelligence and computational technologies suited to satiate the needs of the human race. The emphasis is also on a digital identity we have developed alongside our physical and psychological entities. Millennials and Gen Z have a cognizant grip on their digital identity and are known to use the fruits of 4IR in their everyday livelihood. However, with the advent of Industry 4.0, the generation of Baby Boomers and Gen X have had to undergo much re-learning and accommodate the newer ways of integrating digitalization in their lives. The process has brought about occupational threats and shaming related to failure to upgradation and flexibility. This article explores the influences of these social experiences on the identity and self-concept of the quinquagenarians and the sexagenarians. The article follows a qualitative method where using a thematic approach, the emerging themes from the in-depth interviews will be analyzed in detail to form a theoretical framework for shaming among the Indian Baby Boomers and Gen X. The variables in focus are adjustment, coping styles, resilience, the purpose of life, and Self-Image. The study explores the themes of Indian adults, which emerge from interviewing 4–6 participants, who have been associated with full-time employment and are between 77 and 59 years of age, representing the Baby Boomers, and those between 43 and 58 years of age, representing Gen X. The analysis adopts a psychoanalytic approach, where the data is interpreted using an Eriksonian lens.