Younger Generations Can’t Stand These 12 Baby Boomer Habits (And Why It’s Time to Let Them Go)

While Baby Boomers have shaped much of the modern world, younger generations—from Millennials to Gen Z—are increasingly calling out habits that feel outdated, inefficient, or tone-deaf. Whether it is how Boomers approach work, money, or technology, these generational quirks can create serious eye rolls in today’s fast-paced, digital-first world. Here are 12 Baby Boomer habits that younger generations just cannot stand—and why it is time to move on from them.

1. Obsession with 9-to-5 Office Jobs

Boomers often idealize the traditional 9-to-5 office job as the gold standard of success, but younger generations see flexibility and work-life balance as far more valuable. With remote work, freelancing, and digital nomadism reshaping the job market, being chained to a desk for 40 or more hours a week feels archaic and stifling. Millennials and Gen Z value results over rigid schedules and prefer to measure productivity by impact, not hours logged under fluorescent lighting.

2. Avoidance of Therapy and Mental Health Talks

Many Baby Boomers were raised to believe that mental health struggles should be kept private or ignored altogether, often viewing therapy as a last resort or sign of weakness. Younger generations, however, are actively working to destigmatize mental health by embracing therapy, discussing trauma, and prioritizing emotional well-being. Boomers’ reluctance to talk about feelings or seek help is viewed as not only outdated but also potentially harmful in a time when mental health awareness is seen as crucial.

3. Hanging Onto Paper Everything

From printed bank statements to paper bills and hard-copy user manuals, Boomers’ preference for physical documents often clashes with younger generations’ push for eco-friendliness and convenience. Digital natives wonder why someone would keep file cabinets full of paperwork when cloud storage offers easy, searchable, and clutter-free alternatives. Clinging to paper is seen not just as inefficient but environmentally tone-deaf in an era of climate consciousness and digital transformation.

4. Romanticizing the “Good Old Days”

Boomers often wax nostalgic about a supposedly simpler, better past—usually the 1950s, 60s, or 70s—without acknowledging the social and systemic inequalities that existed during those times. Younger people view this rose-colored perspective as dismissive of the progress made in areas like civil rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ plus acceptance. To them, glorifying the past often comes across as willfully ignoring the hardships others endured and undermines efforts to build a more inclusive future.

5. Using Phone Calls for Everything

Boomers tend to prefer phone calls over texts or emails, even for quick interactions, which younger generations find intrusive and inefficient. Millennials and Gen Z often view unsolicited phone calls as anxiety-inducing or disruptive, especially when a simple message would do. The expectation to “just pick up the phone” feels like a disregard for personal boundaries and modern communication preferences, especially in a world where people are constantly juggling multiple responsibilities and platforms.

6. Rigid Views on Career Success

For many Boomers, success is measured by homeownership, climbing the corporate ladder, and staying with one company for decades. Younger generations, facing a very different economy, see these expectations as outdated and often unattainable. Many value experiences over material goods and prioritize job satisfaction, entrepreneurship, or gig work over traditional metrics of success. The Boomer approach to career and stability can feel unrealistic and disconnected from today’s economic pressures and personal values.

7. Shaming Taboos Around Money Talk

Boomers often grew up in households where money was a private matter, not to be discussed openly. In contrast, younger people are more transparent about salaries, debt, budgeting, and investing, believing that sharing financial information empowers others. Boomers’ discomfort with these conversations can come across as gatekeeping or financial elitism, especially when younger generations are seeking knowledge to navigate student loans, rising housing costs, and inflation-driven lifestyles.

8. Prioritizing Homeownership at Any Cost

For Boomers, owning a home was the ultimate life milestone and a symbol of success. But with skyrocketing housing prices and shifting life goals, younger people often see renting, co-living, or even van life as smarter or more flexible options. The Boomer narrative that renting is “throwing money away” does not align with today’s financial realities, and pushing homeownership as a one-size-fits-all solution often feels unrealistic and out of touch with the way Millennials and Gen Z live and budget.

9. Dismissing Social Media as Shallow

Boomers frequently mock or dismiss social media as narcissistic or meaningless, overlooking its role in building communities, spreading awareness, and creating career opportunities. Younger generations have grown up using social platforms for education, activism, networking, and entrepreneurship. The condescending attitude toward digital culture can feel patronizing, especially when Boomers themselves are increasingly active on the same platforms they criticize. For many young people, social media is not just fun—it is vital for survival in the modern world.

10. Treating Technology Like It’s Rocket Science

Many Boomers resist adopting new technology, often turning basic tasks—like setting up Wi-Fi or navigating apps—into dramatic episodes. While it is understandable that they did not grow up with this tech, their refusal to learn or adapt is frustrating for digital-native generations. Younger people are often expected to be on-call tech support, and the unwillingness to try before asking for help can feel like a lack of effort or respect for their time. Tech is no longer optional—it is part of everyday life, and learning it is a necessity.

11. Clinging to Outdated Etiquette Rules

From insisting on handwritten thank-you notes to judging people for not dressing formally in every setting, Boomers often hold tight to outdated social norms. While respect and courtesy are always in style, rigid etiquette expectations can feel elitist or unnecessary in more casual, inclusive modern spaces. Younger generations prioritize authenticity, inclusivity, and practicality over tradition for tradition’s sake. It is not about being rude—it is about evolving with the times and making room for new expressions of respect and connection.

12. Downplaying Climate Change Concerns

Many Boomers either downplay the urgency of climate change or view environmental activism as overreacting, often because they did not grow up with such dire environmental warnings. For Millennials and Gen Z, who will live with the long-term consequences of environmental neglect, this dismissal is infuriating. Younger people are demanding systemic change and sustainability, and Boomer resistance is viewed as a dangerous barrier to progress. They want climate responsibility to be a shared value, not a partisan issue or generational inconvenience.

Final Thoughts

Generational divides are nothing new, but the speed of cultural, economic, and technological shifts has widened the gap between Baby Boomers and younger generations more than ever. While not all Boomers hold onto these habits, the ones who do are often met with frustration and confusion from those navigating a drastically different world. Understanding and adapting to new norms is not about abandoning tradition—it is about moving forward with empathy, openness, and the willingness to evolve. If we want intergenerational harmony, we have to be willing to listen, reflect, and sometimes let go of the past.