As society evolves, so do the trends that shape our daily lives, but change can be difficult, especially for older generations, and not everyone is on board with these societal shifts, especially people from the Baby Boomer generation.
Here are 19 new social trends that Boomers can’t stand:
Gender Pronouns
The increasing awareness and use of non-binary and gender-neutral pronouns presents a learning curve for Boomers, who are used to more traditional gender classifications, and many of them struggle to fully grasp the meaning of relatively new terms like “gender fluid,” etc.
Casual Work Attire
Boomers are the generation of the iconic office suit, both male and female Boomers were pioneers of “power dressing,” especially during the 80s, and 90s. But gone are the days when dressing up for work meant formal suits and polished shoes. Today, casual work attire is the norm, with many people even working from home in their pajamas.
This laid-back approach to professional dress codes is a stark contrast to the more formal expectations Boomers grew up with, and most of them can’t stand it. A lot of Boomers see “casual” dress codes as a polite way of saying “scruffy, or unkempt”.
Texting Over Phone Calls
Nowadays, texting has largely replaced phone calls as the primary means of communication, but Boomers, who value the personal touch of a voice conversation, find this trend impersonal, and they can’t understand why someone would send a text instead of picking up the phone.
Mental Health Awareness
For the Boomer generation, mental health was often viewed as a deeply personal issue that should be kept private, and there was also quite a lot of shame and stigma surrounding seeking help and support for mental health issues in Boomer's time.
While acknowledging the importance of mental health, Boomers sometimes feel that younger generations overshare their struggles on social media instead of seeking support privately, and the fact that people are now praised for talking about their mental health so openly is a big change for Boomers.
Working from Home
Boomers are renowned for “always being at the office,” and for them, the choice of working from home simply didn’t exist. So today’s shift towards remote work is very alien for Boomers, and many see it as a departure from the discipline and structure of the traditional office environment.
Plus, many worry it might lead to a decline in productivity and professionalism, as they simply can’t get their head around people doing business from home while still in their pajamas.
Four-Day Work Week
Boomers are known for their dedicated work ethic, and many of the evolving patterns around work behavior such as casual dress codes, working from home, and now four-day work weeks are proving too much for them.
Proposals for a four-day workweek are met with skepticism by Boomers, and many of them are left wondering if anyone in today's society actually wants to do any work. Baby Boomers are accustomed to the traditional 9-5, five-day work week and they see any deviation from this as unproductive, and even “lazy”.
Obsession with Celebrity Culture
The intense focus on celebrities and influencers is another trend that Boomers find perplexing, and the reverence and attention given to figures such as The Kardashians is not something they can easily relate to.
Rise of Veganism and Vegetarianism
The growing popularity of plant-based diets and the activism surrounding them can feel like an attack on traditional eating habits and the agricultural industry that many Boomers respect, and hold in high regard. Some Boomers view Veganism, and Vegetarianism as more of a trend or, fad, and some lack the understanding that, for many it is a lifestyle choice that aligns with deeply held personal values.
The Selfie Craze
The rise of selfies and the culture surrounding them is another modern trend that Boomers struggle to understand. To them, the idea of constantly taking and sharing photos of yourself seems odd, narcissistic, and self-obsessed.
Perceived Entitlement
There's a perception amongst Boomers that younger generations feel entitled to success without putting in the hard work. This attitude is something Boomers find particularly frustrating, given their values of diligence, hard work, and perseverance.
Decline in Reading
Boomers are the generation that grew up reading books, for most, the TV wasn’t invented yet, or if it was, they couldn’t afford one as it was such a new piece of technology. This meant Boomers had to use their imaginations as children while reading books for entertainment, which led to many Boomers having a nostalgic love of reading. But with the rise of social media and the internet, fewer people are reading books for pleasure, and Boomers are frustrated by this shift towards digital scrolling over the joys of the written word.
Cancel Culture
The world in which Boomers grew up wasn’t quite as politically correct as the one we live in today, and the phenomenon of cancel culture, where individuals are ostracized for controversial statements or actions, is another trend that Boomers find troubling. They believe in second chances and free speech and fear the lack of forgiveness in today's society.
Filters and Photo Editing
Alongside selfies, the use of filters to alter photos is something that Boomers often find unnecessary. They prefer photos that capture real moments, and people's genuine features, whether they are perfect or not, without digital enhancements.
Fast Fashion
Boomers are from an era where clothing was made to last, and repairing clothes was common, but the throwaway culture of fast fashion today, where clothes are quickly discarded, is a stark contrast, and Boomers see it as such a waste that is causing harm to the environment
Digital Payments
The move towards cashless transactions is another modern shift that Boomers find challenging. They prefer the tangibility and security of cash over digital payments and struggle to fully trust digital banking.
Smart Homes
The integration of technology in homes, from smart thermostats to live camera doorbells, is a significant change that many Boomers struggle to adapt to as they prefer simpler, manual controls such as buttons, and knobs that they can physically push instead of digitally controlling everything.
Political Correctness
The evolving landscape of political correctness, including new terms and inclusive language, can be difficult for Boomers to adapt to, and many can feel uncomfortable or lacking in confidence in social situations as they feel unsure of the right thing to say and are afraid of offending others.
Environmental Consciousness
The push towards being environmentally friendly, from recycling to using solar panels, metal straws, and paying for plastic bags, has been another uncomfortable shift for Boomers. They didn't grow up with these practices, and adapting to them now can be frustrating.
Rising Divorce Rates
Divorce in America is much more today than it was in the past, and many Boomers see this as a sign that younger generations are not willing to put in the hard work during the inevitable tough times in a marriage.
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