How Cultures Deal with Aging
A key factor reducing cultural bleed involves ensuring that a culture is relevant for people of all ages and is able to adapt to the challenges adherents face at different life stages. Cultural leaders and designers are usually older individuals, which can cause cultures to over optimize for adults (and even older adults).
As you think about the culture you wish to create, consider not only how it will be perceived by people in different stages of life (childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, etc.), but how it will impart tactical advantages that help adherents address challenges that arise across all stages of life. A culture that does a great job at helping parents raise families has far lower odds of surviving intergenerationally if it doesn’t also improve children’s lives, help teens overcome adversity, grant a competitive edge to young adults, and provide relevancy and meaning to mature adults as they reach old age.