From inappropriate comments to their refusal to part with cable TV, boomers have an…interesting worldview. We’ve broken down 20 of the worst behaviors pretty much every boomer is guilty of—and why they should stop.
1. No Sense of Today’s Jobs
Gone are the good ol’ days of shaking a man’s hand and hand-delivering your resume. Employers today don’t care about your gumption, they care about how much you’ll work and for how little. Younger generations also don’t call potential employers for updates either.
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2. Speaking Ill of Others
We’ve all been slightly judgemental, but boomers take it to another level. Whether it’s someone’s weight or lifestyle choice, boomers almost always have something unsolicited to say and it embarrasses everyone else.
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3. Insensitive Comments
Boomers grew up in another time, sure, but that’s no call for inappropriate comments. People going on about their day shouldn’t be subjected to criticism or boomer “jokes.” Let’s just leave sexual orientation, mental health, and attire alone, yes?
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4. “Just Work Harder”
Ah, the “workhorse” mentality…even though some literally balance two full-time jobs or are part of the working homeless class. Repeat after us: the problem isn’t with employees, it’s with the world. You didn’t have to work three jobs to support yourself, so why should the younger generation?
5. Lost in Their Generation
We know the old days seem great, but that doesn’t mean there’s no beauty in today’s world. Each generation comes with its highs and lows and the stubborn belief that one is better than the other isn’t a good look.
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6. Mental Illness Denial
We’ve got some devastating news: mental illnesses existed in the “old days,” too, they just weren’t spoken about as widely. Those with depression aren’t “lazy” and those with PTSD aren’t just “sensitive.” These are real issues that deserve real support.
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7. Comparing Discomfort
Let’s not dismiss someone’s physical pain—younger people can have back pain or arthritis, too. Telling them, “You won’t know pain until you’re my age!” is demeaning and completely ignores their struggles.
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8. Hatred of Technology
Technology’s an ever-changing beast, and it can be tough to keep up with. However, it’s important to embrace because rotary phones aren’t coming back. You can’t really complain about the new generation being on their phone if you need their help to send an email.
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9. Watching Cable TV
Don’t get us wrong, streaming services are a nightmare, but they’re nothing compared to cable TV. Filled with the same shows and endless commercials, this relic is often found in parents’ or grandparents’ homes, and it might be time to upgrade.
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10. House Buying
Hey, guess what! Homes don’t cost $20,000 anymore and younger generations are caught in a hellish renting cycle that makes living a nightmare. It’s great that you bought a house for peanuts, but millennials and Gen Z don’t have that option.
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11. Pushing for Grandkids
Grandchildren are a source of pride, as they should be! But only if someone wants to have them. With the cost of living what it is, younger generations can’t support kids and even if they could, many just don’t want children. Stop dropping inappropriate hints about wanting grandkids.
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12. Outdated Beliefs
Today’s world is different—shocking, we know. Women can wear what they want, we now speak openly about our periods, and couples can opt out of children. Change is always a little jarring, but it’s better to embrace it than comment on every little thing you don’t agree with.
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13. Popping in For Visits
Unannounced visits are a thing of the past. People have lives and don’t appreciate having to play host without so much as a phone call first. Give someone a heads-up if you plan to drop by.
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14. “Respect Your Elders”
Respect isn’t freely earned, and you need to give it before you get it. Boomers aren’t simply owed respect because they’re older—anyone who makes rude comments or openly disrespects younger generations isn’t getting respect any time soon.
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15. Calling People
It might be easier for you to call someone, but doing so irks younger generations. Most text messages suffice, they’re much faster, and in today’s day and age, phone calls are best reserved for emergencies.
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16. Ridiculous Schedules
It’s great that you’re retired (another thing younger generations won’t get to do), but kids and grandkids don’t have the same schedule. No, busy millennials don’t want to go to breakfast at 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday. They also don’t want dinner at 4:30 p.m. There’s a happy medium there somewhere.
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17. Refusing Therapy
Like it or not, lots of people benefit from therapy. There’s no shame in it and we all know older generations were encouraged to avoid their feelings. Some people have a lot of pent-up stress or desperately need someone to talk to, and it can be worth exploring.
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18. Embarrassing Phrases
We all know younger generations’ slang is confusing, but boomers’ can be straight-up humiliating. Please stop calling someone’s backside their “tookus” or calling underwear “gotch.” Stop the madness!
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19. “The Customer is Always Right”
No, they’re not. Sometimes the customer is just plain wrong and refuses to acknowledge it. It’s much better for everyone to admit fault, apologize, and move on. That poor kid behind the register doesn’t get paid enough to deal with anything else.
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20. No Accountability
For some reason, it’s like pulling teeth to get a little accountability. Older generations impacted the job force, taxes, and the economy (to name a very limited few), and it’s time we all acknowledged that.
