Old and young, they still talk

A society in which members of different generations do not interact “is a dangerous experiment,” a researcher said.

On Fridays at 10 a.m., Richard Bement and Zach Ahmed log in to their weekly video chat. The program that brought them together offers online discussion prompts and suggests arts-related activities, but the two largely ignore all of this.

"We've only just started to talk about things that were important to us," said Mr. Ahmed, 19, a pre-med student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Since the two men met more than a year ago, conversation topics have included: Pink Floyd, in a long exploration led by Mr. Bement, 76, a retired sales executive in the Milford Township, Ohio; their religious beliefs (the main interlocutor is Episcopalian; the youngest is Muslim); Their families; changing gender norms; and poetry, including Mr. Ahmed's own efforts.

“There is this fallacy that these two generations cannot communicate,” Mr. . Well. "I don't find that to be true."

"Zach tells me about his organic chemistry class, about the fact that he will be a student in 2024. I offer to Zach the opportunity to share with me what it's like to be him, and vice versa. an online version in 2022. This semester, approximately 70 pairs have registered for the video program. 73 other students are participating in artistic activities sponsored by O.M.A. with people with dementia in a nursing home, senior center and adult day program.

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