The idealization of the interchangeability of phases of life

Drawing from scholars like Mannheim, Turner, Popitz, Weber, Erikson, Heidegger, and others, the presentation discusses the fundamental importance of the dimension of time for those vast areas of social interaction where the actors do not belong to the same age group and where mutual understanding is hindered by diverging world views in relation to the difference of ages. This barrier between conflicting patterns of thinking and systems of relevance is overcome by an »idealization of the interchangeability of phases of life«, saying that I take it for granted that if I (virtually) change phases of life with my fellow-man so that his ›now‹ becomes mine, I shall have the same attitude towards things and judge them with the same typicality as he actually does. In this way, »temporal« differences of individual perspectives are resolved by the supposition that these differences will vanish in the course of time (»Wait until you’re my age!«).

The »idealization of the interchangeability of phases of life« is an enhancement of the »general thesis of the reciprocity of perspectives« developed by Alfred Schutz; a theoretical conception which clarifies the conditions of the possibility of intersubjective understanding, but neglects the factor of time. It assumes that phases of life are characterized by typical attitudes towards life – an assumption that also works in the context of social units, in which the individual passes through definite periods which imply a typical way of conceiving certain aspects of life and world. Therefore, the »idealization« is not restricted to interaction between members of different age groups. Furthermore it has normative repercussions to the effect that e.g. parents believe to know better what is good for their children and therefore adopt certain educational measures – a figure of thought which also appears in relationships between groups and even cultures.