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50 People From Various Generations Don’t Hold Back Confessing Their Most ‘Boomer’ Takes
Interview With AuthorThere’s a running joke among some of my friends that I’m sometimes a ‘boomer’ in all but age. I still think that I can earn my very own white picket fence if I just work hard enough. I think that quite a few of the movies and TV shows that are released in this day and age fall incredibly short of the mark. And I have a very old-fashioned approach to technology: I’m writing this while listening to music on my iPod while lamenting the disappearance of headphone jacks on phones. The best part? I’m not alone!
There are quite a few ‘baby boomers in disguise’ out there, and odds are that you and pretty much everyone you know has at least one ‘boomer opinion’ about life, work, and technology in the 2020s.
Internet users shared their boomer opinions in a very entertaining and enlightening r/AskReddit thread that proves progress isn’t linear—just because something’s new doesn’t automatically make it better! If we're really honest, replacing buttons with touchscreens everywhere might not have been the brightest idea in some cases. And who needs smart fridges anyway?! Upvote the opinions you agree with as you're scrolling down, dear Pandas.
Bored Panda wanted to learn about the things that technology and app creators should prioritize, so we reached out to Matt Johnson, Ph.D., for a few insights. He explained to us that products are only valuable when they're valuable to the consumer, and shared his thoughts on how we might be seeing an 'analog renaissance.' Plus, he explained why, in some cases, a simple pencil and paper might trump smartphones and computers.
You'll find our full interview with the expert below. Johnson is a professor of consumer psychology at Hult International Business School and Harvard University, the host of the Neuroscience of Branding blog, and the author of Branding that Means Business.
Meanwhile, we also got in touch with the author of the r/AskReddit thread. Read on for our interview with them as well.
This post may include affiliate links.
Let me buy something and own it. I don’t want to pay a monthly fee to use something
"One of the most important elements to keep in mind in product development is the ultimate user experience. This sounds obvious, but many times, creative teams and developers become overly enamored in their own ideas about the product that they lose sight of how it’ll ultimately be used by the end user," Professor Johnson, the founder of the Neuroscience of Branding blog, explained to Bored Panda.
"Products are valuable when, and only when, they’re valuable to the consumer. This ultimately comes down to empathic design, as well as the practice of co-creation with consumers. Instead of simply guessing what will be appealing to consumers, many brands have begun to invite them into the creative process itself," he noted that there's far more interaction between creators and consumers than before.
Just give me the f*****g recipe. I do not want to read your life story.
I like being able to read articles and stuff online without being asked to enter an email, create an account, give my phone number, etc. Also, not everything needs to have an app / be automated with Alexa.
There are sites that are made for getting past paywalls and account locks, they are very useful.
"Crucial to this process is the intuitive nature of the user experience. Products—especially technological products—should be instantly intuitive. This again comes back to empathic design and co-creation. And in addition, a third component is especially important: making the consumer feel smart. The ‘smartness’ of the product experience isn’t merely the technology, but how it makes the user feel. Here, there’s an analogy to good, empathetic writing: good writing makes the writer feel smart; great writing makes the reader feel smart. The same can be said for technology products."
Meanwhile, we were very interested to get the professor's opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of 'smart' devices, compared to 'dumb' (aka analog) ones.
"There’s a lot of speculation that there may be something of an analog renaissance. There’s clear recognition that technology has its benefits in a number of areas of life. However, in others, it may have overstepped its bounds, and that analog (or dumb tech) products may actually be beneficial," Johnson pointed out to us.
Turn your f*****g music down. Your music should not be shaking my car windows. I should not be able to hear your music inside my house. I should be able to talk to my friends inside this bar or restaurant without yelling. This brewery does not need a live band or DJ. Turn your f*****g music down.
I just want a real person on the telephone when I have to call a business.
Paper books are better than E-books. There is just something about reading on paper- it feels more real.
"Take communication, for example. Zoom has been a huge tool in the pandemic, and is great for communication types requiring a visual referent, such as a presentation. However, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that a simple phone call is better for building empathy and trust," he explained. "And while digital forms of typing, either on mobile or on the computer, come with their own conveniences, 'dumb' writing products—like simple pencil and pad—have been identified to hold several benefits such as enhanced creativity and better memory retention." Anecdotally, we can definitely confirm this. It's why yours truly still takes a lot of notes by hand; it might be slower, but it works so much better than doing everything digitally.
Professor Johnson, the author of Branding that Means Business, pointed out that smart devices will "likely proliferate in certain areas, but may dissipate in others."
"Predicting exactly which kinds of devices will proliferate is difficult and speculative. Generally speaking, technology over the past 15-20 years has been incredible at enabling consumers to do things better, easier, and faster than ever before," he said. "Technology is great for doing things. But it isn’t great at providing enjoyable experiences, or enhancing existing ones. It’s in this domain of where a return to ‘dumb’ technology may be most pronounced."
Just because you can contact me immediately by phone and text doesn’t mean I should be expected to respond and be constantly accessible. I miss the days where you just turned the answering machine on and went and lived life.
As a mentally ill person, I say: Your mental illness is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to manage. Your mental illnesses can cause you to make mistakes and treat others poorly, and you certainly deserve some grace and understanding when you f**k up (as all humans do). But that doesn’t let you off the hook for the behavior, and it doesn’t make the recipient of the bad behavior the bad guy for setting boundaries or calling you on your behavior.
"No! No, BoJack, just stop. You are all the things that are wrong with you. It’s not the alcohol, or the drugs or any of the s****y things that happened to you in your career or when you were a kid. It’s you. All right? It’s you."
Giving your kids "unique" names is a sign of immaturity, selfishness and narcissism.
Think before naming your kids as they're the ones that will have to live with it
I'm sure Niveah - Hayden - Jaydehn - Schaydhenn will absolutely understand while they are getting the c**p beat out of them in middle school. And then again when they are trying to be taken seriously in a career.
I read the other day that the #1 female baby name was Luxury.... If that isn't a stripper name I don't know what is 🤦♀️
Might I recommend my son then? When I was 17, I unwittingly gave the lawyerly name of Sullivan A. Johnson to him.
Load More Replies...I love the name Django (I'm a big fan of Django Reinhardt) and would have been sorely tempted to name a son that. I don't have children and my cat won't get beaten up because he's called Django.
My daughter has a friend named Django and he's a cool kid!
Load More Replies...Yes. You can give them unique or unusual names, but at least make them easy to pronounce or spell. I have an Ian and a Ronan, which are unusual in small town Iowa, but not so much that they'll hate me for it later.
Adults have to live with that name. Remember that. Just because it’s cute now doesn’t mean it will be cute in 40 years.
The absolute worst offenders are Abcde and whatever the heck Musk named his kid. There are some really bad ones out there, but those 2 spring to mind as THE most ridiculous ones to me.
Remember the family who named their daughter Kviiilyn (pronounced Kaitlyn, because Roman numeral 8)? Just why ...
Load More Replies...A made up name isn't chic it isn't interesting it's just stupid I'm all for individuality but cmon it's someone's life we are talking about
All names are made up. Every name was new and unique at one point. It’s how names are created.
Load More Replies...I agree about weird names or names where the parents' SPELLING doesn't match the way they pronounce it! "Robert is NOT Robert!" (Not the best example, but it DOES occur) But with so many people it is hard to come up with names that aren't ridiculous but will ensure the child isn't one of 20 "Olivias" in their classroom!
Their Daughter will have to wait a long time to watch the show and afterwards she’s gonna be like, “but, why her, she went a little crazy”
Load More Replies...Yeah as someone with the name Pippa in the US I hate my name a lot it sounds to childish in my opinion and doesn’t fit me. I know it’s probably not that unique, but I know it’s pretty rare to see someone with my name.
All names were unique & new at one point. Why would you want every child to have the same white Anglo-Saxon names? How boring & monotonous. This sounds like a slightly colonial take that shows ignorance & prejudice against cultural names that aren’t white western-European based. The kids with unique cultural names only get the c**p beat out of them because their racist boring WASPY parents pass down their ignorance, prejudice, & racism to their violent little brats.
Unique cultural names are fine. But don't call your kid Moose or Princess or Schmiggly.
Load More Replies...Norman's not a bad name! At least you're not Noermyn or something.
Load More Replies...From an education perspective this is so annoying. We often joke about parents not being able to spell and laugh when they get annoyed that others have spelt it wrong. Also those with triple barrelled names. Have you ever tried writing a name that long in a little box on a form?
When I see these names, I think about the poor kid (then adult) who has to repeatedly spell their name out. Huge hassle! My daughter's nickname is Lexi. I originally spelled it Lexie, but then everyone else spelled it Lexi. I didn't think that she needed to spend her life correcting everyone, so I went with Lexi. The quality of a child's life is more important than their parent's hubris over a unique name. Put yourself in the kid's shoes for a minute!
My husband's name is spelled Bryan and I can't tell you how many times I hear him on the phone having to spell it for people. He hates it. When we bought our house, we went to sign the escrow papers and they had spelled it Brian. We had to have them all re-drafted because of it.
Load More Replies...First names were invented once, even the "classic" ones were new and probably weird for some people. I did all my schooling with other people who had the same first name as me. More than once I would have liked to have a unique first name, and not always have the initial of my last name attached to my first name, not to be only "the tall one", "the weird one", or to be "the 'other', etc.
I usually like names that are meaningful. And there's sometimes names based on characters that I made up on the spot. "Valora, Karin, Zamora, Kashiya, Elizabethany"
I've seen those before with the exception of the last one. Problem is YOU don't have to carry the name and write it on every document and have it called out in class or receiving awards. Your kid does and that's not really fair if it attracts unwanted attention. Also there's scientific studies on the impact of difficult or very unusual names in employment and social and economical advantages and advancement. Many foreigners will even choose an "English" name to use while attending school here or seeking employment at big companies because it's proven a simpler easy to pronounce name gives you better odds during interviews and socially. Names matter more than people realize in our interactions in everyday life.
Load More Replies...When you are naming your child, imagine them as an adult. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Would I want to be named…?” I know a person who named her daughter Brightley. I bet you money that by the time she’s an adult, she is going to go to her mom and say, “What the hell was going through your mind when naming me my name?” It’s so stupid! Just because you don’t have to live with the name, don’t put that burden on your child. Also, can I make a suggestion please? Navy, River, Sailor, Cash, and Diesel are not real names.
i don't mind the unique names, but please use traditional spelling rules ffs
I knew a couple people who legally changed their names like, the week we graduated high school. One girl tried to get her family to use a nickname and her Mom had a fit. Girls says, "Maybe you should have thought of that before you gave me such a f*cked up name with an even more f*cked up spelling" (no, I won't tell you what it was). She ended up moving in with her Grandmother when she was about 15. I lost track of her, but last I heard, about 10 years ago, she still wasn't speaking to her Mother.
As a uniquely named person Marina is my own chosen name as it is my middle name My first name was my hell many only my parents knew how to spell it or correctly say it Children are cruel be kind to your child make it a middle name if you MUST use a strange name
A southern woman told her nurse that she was naming her new baby.. FeeMalee... Because it was on her baby's wrist band (Female)
Placenta, King, Queen, Apple, Moses, North, West, Pilot Inspector, Elon, Pai
I tend to admire the creativity African Americans use for names. They're not silly, they're unique.
It's not a puppy. Try to imagine answering to that as an adult. "This is my husband, Bear Blue." Ugh!
Granted, some people pick some truly ridiculous names. But not every unique name is awful. As someone who was given a very common name at birth and later had it legally changed because I hated it so much, it's not always a bad thing to have an original or unusual name. Not everyone wants to have the same name as half the kids in their class.
Screw that I'm named after my dad it's unique in the states sure in school I didn't like it but now I do, I'm proud of it.
My mother gave every one of her 6(!) children distinctive names. All 6 changed them, either in spelling, 1st v. middle name, or legal name change. Take that, Milbre!
As long as the name is nowhere close to be gross or offensive what's wrong with unique names ? In my few years of work I've had to work with ppl of various origins and some with names I can't pronounce correctly but who gives a c**p about that ? One girl's first name in our service is, literally, Lady Oscar. One time we asked her the story of her name, then that's it, why wouldn't we take her seriously at work based on her name, less than some one called Oliver, Buvhan, or Amar ? Working with prople with foreign names really told me that no one cares about what your name is. Btw in france no one cares about your first name, jokes are always on your last name
A lady at the store was yelling at hi 3 year old at the store.."Jockey, Mommy's going to get mad". You named your kid after underwear..hope you make enough to pay for his therapy in a couple of years....
Names do not define people. When will we move past that thought? All names are made up and were unique at one time and so many people choose white names over their own cultural names in the US. It's insane to me how different Joe and Jose are treated when it's literally a letter difference. People need to learn that "white" isn't always right.
Pretty sure they're not talking about cultural names, they're talking about the genuinely stupid ones. Like the traditional "white" names but spelled with as many letters as possible, or musk's kid's name.
Load More Replies...Teacher needs to be able to enunciate names or do it for them. Filling out paperwork, having name slaughtered at appointments like doctors. We picked our children's names by thinking of nicknames too awful to deal with.
My kids have fairly simple names - I didn't want them having to spell their name for everyone every day of their life, and take longer than the other kids to learn to write their own name. I've got Lucy, Ben, Olivia (prefers ollie) and Noah and people still mange to spell them wrong at times
And L-a, pronounced Ladasha, will enjoy explaining her name all of her life and trying to enter it in sites that don’t allow characters, only the alphabet.
Interesting names are fine, but the youneek spelllings of names are what kills me. I thought my name was fairly self explanatory but the coffee place spelled it Aihmey. Ummm...what?? Has my name become the "odd" spelling of it now? lol
Tell that to James Smith. Some names like queef are genuinely a terrible choice, but having common name can make it a little harder for people to differentiate you from the dozens of other people they know with the exact same name when talking about you.
Okay, but what if it's a name from your culture or something? That shouldn't be a problem.
This s what's what 2014~2016. A lost of worst girl names in the USA. I recall Pistol, Randsom, etc.
my grandma wanted my father to be named Ivo - she couldn't register him like that cause they sad Ivo is not real name it's short for Ivan , so he is registered like Ivan and she called him Ivo for the rest of her life - give your child proper name and sweet talk to them as you whish
My grandmother wanted to name my father Elmer III. His father didn't approve.
Load More Replies...My niece January hates her name. Complains about being teased in school. Soooo .... She names her son RIGHTEOUS!!! 🤦 😫
I have a student with two apostrophes in their name and I still can't pronounce her real name after 5 months. No one at school can.
My pet peeves are, ‘Tommeeeee, Timmeeee, Danneee. It’s sounds so awful! Or the name ‘Tyler,’ too close to toddler! Ty is short, sweet and much, much easier on the ears!
I disagree with this one. You shouldn’t like about bullies when you name your child. Giving your child a unique name is an expression of your creative. In fact keep it up with unique names until no name is bullied.
I agree. Plus people shouldn't be bullying anyone........but it seems people bullied people over names.........that they name there own kid.....and where talking about bullies here......😂😂😂
Load More Replies...Sometimes I feel like like it's because the parents can't spell so they go with it sounds like this, we're going with it. 😵💫🤦♀️🤦
Ya can't know your child before it reaches maturity. But an unusual name can be a gift to imagination. And a secret to creativity in developing minds. My whole family are known by their second names - even when their first names are 'classic'.
As someone who narrowly avoided being called Janus, only because the midwife pointed out I would spend all of my life being called Janus the A**s, I can appreciate this one.
If you can say Doctor, President or CEO before the name and it sounds ridiculous then make a new name list
My mom did that with old names with rich histories and yeaaa I love my name
Honest comment here, I hate the ridiculous names too, like super ridiculously embarrassing. But as a native American, but born and raised in a typical US suburb, i did name my kids Shadow (nicknamed Shade) and Winter. They're young elementary school age now. Not only do they love their names, but they have some of the lesser unique names in every class, sports team or play group. I've met zero Greg's, or Mike's, or Susie's or Mary's. The typical American names practically disappeared in this generation, so I'm glad we stuck with our guns when worrying if perhaps their names were too unique. It's a pretty interesting phenomenon.
I don't have children, but my cat is named Winter and I love it.
Load More Replies...A unique or unusual name doesn't have to be absurd and obnoxious. It could be as simple as looking in a name book and picking one that you've not come across before but is a legit name with it's own meaning. Candra for example. No matter your name, you'll still come across times you'll have to spell it out, repeat it and remind people how to spell it and say it. I have a pretty common name and still encounter people who just can't comprehend. I've been mistaken for Haddar, Hedder, Hedger, Helen, Heater, Anna. I've seen it spelt as Heathyr before. That poor girl.
We saved the weirdness for the middle name with our child. That way, if they hate it they don't have to tell anybody 😁
Of course a sensible country will have laws and regulations in place to protect children from the stupidity of their parents.
My friend, THAT you can't do. Bike helmets for children, maybe, but not for names. North Korea dictates what haircut you're allowed to have.
Load More Replies...I know of a family that named all their 5 kids after cars, Porsche, Mercedes, Bentley, Altima, Jaguar
Also can be a sign of being an uneducated moron & seeking attention (annoyingly) by standing out
Meanwhile, the author of the original r/AskReddit thread, u/Poopooplatta69, was kind enough to share a few of their thoughts with us.
"I believe that all of us have opinions that go against the grain and that some of these opinions aren't necessarily wrong," they told us a bit about what inspired them to start up the thread in the first place.
According to the redditor, a boomer "doesn't necessarily mean age."
"I know some young conservatives that I would view as boomers. To me the 'ok boomer' crowd is out of touch and refuses to try to understand that things are different now," they told Bored Panda.
In their opinion, social media is "easily" the most recent technology that has made life harder rather than easier. "We're addicted to it and it's making us mentally ill," they said.
It’s rude to be on your phone while in the company of others. Makes you look bored to be hanging out with them
It is actually spooky to see 6 friends around a table in a restaurant all staring at their phones and not talking to each other at all.
Spelling and grammar matter.
I heard a YouTube guy say "punctuation saves lives, people" and got a big kick out of that.
Baby boomers, aka boomers, are people born from 1946 to 1964, and tend to be seen as having ‘old-fashioned’ beliefs about work and life. Being called a boomer in a non-academic context is a synonym for someone who’s behind the times. It’s typically used as a gentle insult (e.g. using the dismissive phrase, ‘ok, boomer!’). Quite paradoxical, considering that boomers themselves tend to see themselves as ‘the greatest generation.’
No generation is perfect: each one has its specific pros and cons, as well as very distinct perception of what the world ‘should’ be like.
Similarly, boomers tend to look down on zoomers (born from the early 2010s onwards), but often call them millennials (born 1981-1996) by mistake. Speaking generally, boomers tend to believe that the younger generations are slacking off and should be working harder.
However, boomers often get criticized for not taking the economic situation into account. They grew up in a time of affluence and prosperity when it was relatively easy to save up enough money to own your own home.
Five year olds don't need Smartphones
I knew a 6 year old girl who had her own Apple Watch and the latest version of the iPhone.
From an elder Gen X:
Gender reveals are ridiculous. "Let's have a party for everyone to celebrate a baby's genitals"
As someone who grew up in the 70's and learning about women's liberation I would not think people would be still so attached to the whole pink/blue clothes,toys, etc.
Having your own home is still seen as a sign of success by the majority of young people. However, the problem is affordability. It’s not enough to work hard. Financial stability and home ownership aren’t as guaranteed as they used to be half a century ago. This, of course, leads to a certain amount of cynicism among the millennials and the Gen-Z cohort, as well as tension between them and the older generations who (from their perspective) may have had it easier.
As we grow older, our tastes change and develop. At the same time, we also cling to certain technologies and attitudes that used to get us good results. Why switch to a high-tech TV, computer, or phone when the one you have works perfectly fine? It’s eco-friendly and financially savvy to avoid upgrading to something new just for the heck of it… so long as you’re doing it for the right reasons.
Unfortunately, the reality is that some people are resistant to trying new tech. They might be scared to break something. Or they might be unwilling to learn something new—perhaps due to their pride or out of fear that it’ll take them far too long. It’s a question of attitude, as well as adaptability. Do you embrace the new so that you can keep up with a rapidly-changing world or do you cling to the past, daydreaming of the ‘good old days’?
Physical buttons to push, especially in cars, I hate touch screens.
I just bought an air fryer with 2 knobs and not a touch screen. It's an entry level appliance. The only low review was of the knobs - the fear they might break off. They hadn't broken off. Incredible. A low review based on a fear of knobs failing. Our species is doomed.
People share way too much on social media.
thegigglepickler replied:
Similarly, you don’t need to record every second of your life. Live in the moment every once in a while.
They need to bring back home economics class in school.
Agee they need to teach life skills besides just cooking. Budgeting a basic idea of what is involved in being an adult.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. But if we spend all of our time reminiscing about the past while ignoring the present, something needs to change. One way to do this is to focus on all of the things that you’re grateful to have in this ever-changing world.
At the same time, it’s essential to stay objective. Just because there’s a new gadget coming out or a fresh trend is sweeping the globe doesn’t mean that you should jump on board simply because ‘everyone else is doing it.’ Ignore the FOMO. Think about what you want.
It’s perfectly fine to want better, more user-friendly technology. For instance, you might feel that a website, app, or streaming service needs a more intuitive UI. Or you might get irritated by all the updates that certain apps require just to function. Not to mention the metric ton of passwords that you need to keep track of because, hey, pretty much everything requires you to log in these days. Sometimes, simpler really is better.
Personally? I’d love to meet the person who decided that phones no longer need headphone jacks. I’ve got a bunch of questions for them…
They don't make em like they used to. Houses, appliances, everything.
Yep, now that the really old stuff has finally failed the stuff we've replaced it with is failing at a faster rate and some even on the 2nd or 3rd replacement.
Children are being brainwashed by TikTok/Instagram/etc... Not in the whole "the gays are brainwashing our kids" thing but children can't focus on anything for more than a few seconds at a time and are majorly desensitized to things
i totally agree, reading books was as much about learning to concentrate and think
Headlights are too bright nowadays.
I really do hate when they change the aisles around at the grocery store.
People should chill with their phones during concerts. You paid tickets to watch the show, not to record the whole thing.
Modern parents can be very entitled and modern parenting styles like gentle, child led and never say no parenting are going to cause as many problems as they fix.
Yes previous generations were too strict but modern parents go too far in the other direction.
Younger children in general are genuinely spending way too much time on tablets and other devices.
I don't want the new shiny thing with a thousand of usless functions, I don't want something that will be old in 3 years because of lack of sofware update or because the tecnology in that field is becoming better at lightning speed. I want something that just works and last a long time. I can understand you might want the best thing for work (like a powerful pc) but why would anyone want a smart fridge or toaster?
Paying good money for a product that doesn't do the thing it says on the box until you install their b******t app on your phone makes me want to burn s**t to the ground.
Things that require a separate thing requiring an account or recurring payment in order to work. I don't have a phone, why do I need one for a physical thing? I bought a physical disk of a game, why do I need a Steam account to play it, given that I bought a physical disk because I don't agree with Steam's T&Cs?
Too many people on the Internet self-diagnose with autism, ADHD, PTSD, etc and they do it in a way that screams "I'm different and unique pay attention to me!"
I know someone who was randomly hitting me for absolutely no reason. She said,”I’m allowed because I’m autistic,” I was extremely tempted to punch her in the face and say,” I’m allowed because I’m autistic.” I didn’t though. A few years later she got an actual assessment for autism and it turns out she was just a b***h and thought OMG! I don’t like wool! I must be autistic
I think common sense isn’t that common anymore. I think people need to take accountability for their actions and admit when they’re wrong or f****d up. Stop making excuses and just say sorry and do better next time.
Note that often what is excused as an excuse is actually an explanation, and people who have experienced abuse are prone to over-explaining to make sure there is no misinterpretation. 100% of cases I've seen of "making excuses" have been this.
STOP MAKING EVERYTHING AUTOMATED AND TECHNOLOGICAL. I want to talk to a real human being when I call. I don’t want all this touch free, scan this, download this app, blah blah blah.
Smart things should fail to dumb, not to broken.
Smart lock can’t reach the internet? I should be able to use my keys. (This is why I have a dumb home.)
I don't have smart things because they are hideously insecure. Easy backdoor into otherwise secure networks.
People are too loud.
And they smell. And they just kind of suck. Kitties and doggos are so much better.
TV is getting too dark. Too dark and too quiet. I swear we have to turn the volume up like twice as loud as we have it normally to watch Yellowstone.
Better believe the commercials have plenty of volume though...
My watch doesn't need to spy on me
I really don’t want people I don’t know on my lawn.
Only problem I have with it, is when people don't clean up after their dogs. Otherwise, whatever.
Having your children in every sports league and traveling all over spending loads of money and time doesn't make you a better parent.
but, it might make you a better parent if your kid is loving what's happening and what they're doing. If a parent is forcing their kid(s) to be in a sport, that's a different story imo
TikTok, Youtube shorts, Instagram reels and all that is having a seriously negative impact on the attention span of young people.
You may have tipped the conversation into attention deficit disorder. Focus is a muscle that needs guidance, training and exercise. Not all ADHD requires medication.
Sometimes you need to shut your laptop, Apple TV, Loud Bass speakers and mouth, and just sit quietly.
Seriously we dont need to be listening to media, music, news, memes or ANY sound or stimulation 24/7.
so my problem is with my anxiety, having quiet makes me really anxious, like there's no reason I should be, I just am. Like I can have my TV on the lowest volume playing something I don't care about and I can sit there a read a book perfectly fine. I know that this isn't normal, it's a me problem, but I haven't figured out a good way to deal with it yet. I think it's because in my mind, quiet = bad/ I'm in trouble/ something bad is going to happen. Edit: I wanted to say thanks for all the amazing advice! I'm going to be trying a few of them once I'm better from being sick and able to walk again :D
The service industry is garbage now. My first few jobs were working in fast food: I got paid s**t and the hours sucked. I still greeted customers when they walked in the shop, spoke politely over the phone and waited until my smoke breaks to blow a f*****g gasket about something. Because of my experience in food service, I'm polite and friendly to a waiter/waitress or my delivery driver and usually try to tip well. But it seems like more often than not, everybody on the other side of the counter is surly and unhelpful. I'll be somewhere to pick up my food and the person on the other side of the counter can't even be bothered to look up from their phone to say 'welcome to arby's; how can I help you?'
I get it; your job sucks. You should be paid more. You have to deal with the rudest, most entitled people on a daily basis and twice as much on Sunday. It won't f*****g kill you to say hello.
Everyone should work a service or retail job at least once. Are a minimum, they’ll spend the rest of their lives being polite to service and retail workers.
Concentration is getting worse. I tutor students and I notice a complete lack of concentration from people as little as 1 year younger than me. Also everyone is very difficult and doesn’t participate even though they asked you for help
Automated menus on customer service lines, and honestly customer service lines themselves, f*****g suck.
lexigraxe replied:
My doctor's office has an automated menu for scheduling appointments, which is fine and dandy except for the fact that it has FOUR LAYERS of automation before you get to an actual person, and if you press the number you want too soon it will restart the whole menu. Also, sometimes it goes through to a real office number but then rings for 45 seconds before saying “the party you are trying to reach is unavailable, goodbye” and then hangs up automatically, so you have to go through the menu all over again. F**k automated menus like that.
I work with insurance companies all day, I get so frustrated when I call and there’s not an option on what I want/need, there should be an operator option 0 for every business you call, not hang up on you
That some people can't just enjoy their meals at a restaurant, they absolutely HAVE to take a picture first. Nobody starts eating until a satisfying Foto is taken.
Like, f**k you! I'm hungry and want to start eating. It's not like you paid for my meal.
Old music is way better
There's good new music out there, you just have to look for it.
Popular music these days are highly industrialized and have nothing to do with art or culture
A lot of entertainment is this way. When even a society's art is entrenched in the capitalist culture of profit, it becomes nothing more than a money maker.
Movies used to be way better.
And I get that there were always lots of crappy and mediocre movies. And I get that there are still really good ones these days - 2019 was a particularly amazing year.
But they still used to be SO MUCH BETTER. Indie film festivals weren’t littered with endless “gritty slice of life drama with no plot and a shaky handheld camera”. Hollywood didn’t used to be “superhero’s and sequels and f**k everything else”.
And I dunno, it just feels like….some passion is gone. If you saw a low budget driving scene in the 70’s, you likely saw poor lighting and some muddled audio. But you also saw real people in real locations really trying. Now, a movie costing 200 f*****g million won’t bother filming a real driving scene with two actors in a real car on a real street. “Just green screen jt, no one will notice”.
But we do. We really do. And that lack of passion is killing the thing I love most.
And perhaps use real actors? It becomes boring watching an "actor" delivering a line with all of the emotion of a dust mop.
I loathe motion sensor faucets, hand driers, soap dispensers, and flush handles. My hands are huge and they don’t trip the sensors or fit in the dryers.
Children shouldn't own ipads.
People should be weary of posting photos if their kids on social media. I find it really disturbing that nowadays kid's photos are on social media quite literally while they're still in the womb.
Note: this post originally had 79 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I'm past the stage of being excited by a new phone, laptop, etc. I just want it to do what the old one did. I'm Gen X btw.
Or we could just all realize that our generation is irrelevant, whereas our shared humanity is very relevant, and we could all go on strike. All. Of. Us. And teach those Ayn-Rand-believing nitwits who really is needed to run the world. Just a thought. Too boomer? I'm Gen X.
Gen-x here to tell you all that you are not special. Despite every parent, teacher or miscellaneous relative giving you presents and trophies for existing, there are millions of people just like you. You aren't entitled, your kid isn't entitled and you live in a society where everyone matters, not just you or your kid. You don't get to skip lines, take others' seats or demand special service and treatment because your mom told you were the most precious person who ever lived as a child.
There actually is some unique talent that we all were given and there is nothing wrong with celebrating that. I don't worry about giving non-wealthy kids encouragement. They need support now so that they can have the emotional wherewithal to stand as adults when the real world starts beating them up. What is truly concerning is the way the entitled rich has been become accustomed to not following laws and getting away with it. How is it that we have a person who has had years of lawsuits, employee complaints, tax fraud, and then even doing his best to stage a violent coup against our own government and he's stil walking around? Further, he wants a chance to screw our government again and some people even support it? Coddling the rich has to stop.
Load More Replies...I don't know if people agree with this, but: Have your gender, don't be your gender. Be who you feel you are, be attracted or not attracted to whomever makes you happy. Use the pronouns you want. But don't make that the main affect of your existence, build a personality that doesn't depend on how you define your gender. Honestly I know so many people of many genders (and ethnicities) where that is the least interesting thing about them.
As a trans gay guy, I agree, but your gender/sexuality/ethnicity is still part of who you are. I am first a person, second a trand gay man, but that second part can't be ignored until bigotry is gone. Still, don't make your entire personality 'I'm gay'. It's boring for both you and everyone else. It's fine to have a stereotypically gay personality, but get a damn hobby.
Load More Replies...I also hate how the new generation always says, "Be yourself! You're amazing the way you are! Speak up and voice your opinion!", except when they disagree with whatever someone says and then it's, "you're a terrible person and you shouldn't say that, or think that way." Or they 'cancel' you for not thinking the way they do. They also think everyone cares about what they have to say. I don't have social media because it's toxic and because I can think for myself and I'm not a damn sheep that just blindly follows the mindless zombie masses. Also, I don't like how everytime I buy something with my card, it now always seems to ask if you want to tip. Like drive threw coffee or food places that you don't even sit down at and you're not even being served. Why do I need to tip someone for handing me what I already payed for?
It's cause of the twisted s**t going on eith American wage systems. The only way workers can get enough pay to survive is by tipping.
Load More Replies...This is very Gen X .. the last generation with their heads on straight, raised with old school values, but first to drop out of culture.. the silent generation thats now getting motivated to speak up!
As a young gen z, I agree with most of these. The ubiquity of screens is f*****g horrible for society. I'm part of that ofc but there are a ton of people in my clas- and EIGHTH GRADE CLASS- who can neither spell nor read. They can't read. In eighth grade. They have to sound through words a few letters at a time. 13 and 14 year old. It's horrifying. Parents need to give their kids books instead of phones- if your child is bored, go buy Harry Potter or wings of fire or warriors. Relatively little money for a much, much healthier and longer-lasting solution.
Load More Replies...I'm just going to be weird here... but all this gen this, gen that has always been there. I wonder what would happen when The Internet (THE INTERNET) would dissappear? Just like... poof, no more. Would we all go back to just being human beings? With parents, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, peers, elders, neighbours, grandparents? From who we learn the life skills we now seem to learn from YouTube, influencers, reddit, BP. What WOULD happen?
Baby boomers as a concept long predate the internet as does complaining about "kids these days"
Load More Replies...Ok boomer. Jk, there were a few I disagreed with but I agree with some also. Gen z here
Young gen z and I only disagreed with like 3 of them. Most of these are right on the mark
Load More Replies...I think it is sad that parents don't teach children about responsibility and keeping your word. When I was growing up, your word was your bond and today, it means nothing. If I promised to help a neighbor do something, I would be there until it was finished. If I bought a car from someone, we shook hands made the deal and left. We didn't sue people at the drop of a hat or leave people hanging. I see none of that in kids today.
LOL OKAY ... so you would be perfectly fine with someone else shaking hands to make a deal that you have no say in and you are compelled into doing something you absolutely hate. Right. Like those good ole days, eh?
Load More Replies...I'm one generation younger than Boomer, but I would think anyone would have to be crazy not to agree with most of these.
I was the one who submitted this question to ask reddit. I honestly did not expect it to take off the way it did. Sorry for not getting back to Jonas in time.
Too many apps! I should be able to view a menu, place an order, leave a review, etc., without having to download yet another app. And I have four different apps related to my son's school, all completely different: one to deposit lunch money into his account, one for cross country practice and meet info, one for school district itself, and one to.communicate directly with his teacher.
I'm a boomer. At the very end of boomerness. I was born in 1960 why would my opinions be the same as someone born in 1946? I was 50 before I could afford to buy my first house and I couldn't afford it I lost it. So who should I identify with? The person in 1946 basically my parents gen? That's ridiculous I had computers in high school it was a little cutting edge but we had them. I worked in technology. I understand tech I don't necessarily like all of it but that's a personal opinion not a generational thing. Boomer things on Panda kind of p**s me off.
I hate the idea that you have to look like a model, own the newest models of everything, wear the latest in fashion trends, and anything else "trendy" or "mainstream" unless you want people judging you and looking down on you as you're just trying to love your life like a normal person.
Super agree with almost everything, except for those about music and even movies, because is like people who don´t know anything but American content
Also every second word being a swear. Like, breaking a bone? Swear to your hearts content. But not in every sentence you utter!!!
It's not exactly deliberate I think, it's just that kids don't read. They genuinely do not know how to spell or use grammar correctly
Load More Replies...K, so many of these comments sound like the whiny, entitled boomer-ish s**t that I hear over and over. Who raised the generation that you are complaining about? Who created the society that you feel so disconnected from? Who ends ends up blaming others instead of leading by example? Everyone complaining about screen time while actually doing the opposite... Bunch of hypocrites. Young people don't owe us anything for receiving the s****y end of the stick.
I'm a gen z kid and most of these are absolutely correct.
Load More Replies...I'm past the stage of being excited by a new phone, laptop, etc. I just want it to do what the old one did. I'm Gen X btw.
Or we could just all realize that our generation is irrelevant, whereas our shared humanity is very relevant, and we could all go on strike. All. Of. Us. And teach those Ayn-Rand-believing nitwits who really is needed to run the world. Just a thought. Too boomer? I'm Gen X.
Gen-x here to tell you all that you are not special. Despite every parent, teacher or miscellaneous relative giving you presents and trophies for existing, there are millions of people just like you. You aren't entitled, your kid isn't entitled and you live in a society where everyone matters, not just you or your kid. You don't get to skip lines, take others' seats or demand special service and treatment because your mom told you were the most precious person who ever lived as a child.
There actually is some unique talent that we all were given and there is nothing wrong with celebrating that. I don't worry about giving non-wealthy kids encouragement. They need support now so that they can have the emotional wherewithal to stand as adults when the real world starts beating them up. What is truly concerning is the way the entitled rich has been become accustomed to not following laws and getting away with it. How is it that we have a person who has had years of lawsuits, employee complaints, tax fraud, and then even doing his best to stage a violent coup against our own government and he's stil walking around? Further, he wants a chance to screw our government again and some people even support it? Coddling the rich has to stop.
Load More Replies...I don't know if people agree with this, but: Have your gender, don't be your gender. Be who you feel you are, be attracted or not attracted to whomever makes you happy. Use the pronouns you want. But don't make that the main affect of your existence, build a personality that doesn't depend on how you define your gender. Honestly I know so many people of many genders (and ethnicities) where that is the least interesting thing about them.
As a trans gay guy, I agree, but your gender/sexuality/ethnicity is still part of who you are. I am first a person, second a trand gay man, but that second part can't be ignored until bigotry is gone. Still, don't make your entire personality 'I'm gay'. It's boring for both you and everyone else. It's fine to have a stereotypically gay personality, but get a damn hobby.
Load More Replies...I also hate how the new generation always says, "Be yourself! You're amazing the way you are! Speak up and voice your opinion!", except when they disagree with whatever someone says and then it's, "you're a terrible person and you shouldn't say that, or think that way." Or they 'cancel' you for not thinking the way they do. They also think everyone cares about what they have to say. I don't have social media because it's toxic and because I can think for myself and I'm not a damn sheep that just blindly follows the mindless zombie masses. Also, I don't like how everytime I buy something with my card, it now always seems to ask if you want to tip. Like drive threw coffee or food places that you don't even sit down at and you're not even being served. Why do I need to tip someone for handing me what I already payed for?
It's cause of the twisted s**t going on eith American wage systems. The only way workers can get enough pay to survive is by tipping.
Load More Replies...This is very Gen X .. the last generation with their heads on straight, raised with old school values, but first to drop out of culture.. the silent generation thats now getting motivated to speak up!
As a young gen z, I agree with most of these. The ubiquity of screens is f*****g horrible for society. I'm part of that ofc but there are a ton of people in my clas- and EIGHTH GRADE CLASS- who can neither spell nor read. They can't read. In eighth grade. They have to sound through words a few letters at a time. 13 and 14 year old. It's horrifying. Parents need to give their kids books instead of phones- if your child is bored, go buy Harry Potter or wings of fire or warriors. Relatively little money for a much, much healthier and longer-lasting solution.
Load More Replies...I'm just going to be weird here... but all this gen this, gen that has always been there. I wonder what would happen when The Internet (THE INTERNET) would dissappear? Just like... poof, no more. Would we all go back to just being human beings? With parents, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, peers, elders, neighbours, grandparents? From who we learn the life skills we now seem to learn from YouTube, influencers, reddit, BP. What WOULD happen?
Baby boomers as a concept long predate the internet as does complaining about "kids these days"
Load More Replies...Ok boomer. Jk, there were a few I disagreed with but I agree with some also. Gen z here
Young gen z and I only disagreed with like 3 of them. Most of these are right on the mark
Load More Replies...I think it is sad that parents don't teach children about responsibility and keeping your word. When I was growing up, your word was your bond and today, it means nothing. If I promised to help a neighbor do something, I would be there until it was finished. If I bought a car from someone, we shook hands made the deal and left. We didn't sue people at the drop of a hat or leave people hanging. I see none of that in kids today.
LOL OKAY ... so you would be perfectly fine with someone else shaking hands to make a deal that you have no say in and you are compelled into doing something you absolutely hate. Right. Like those good ole days, eh?
Load More Replies...I'm one generation younger than Boomer, but I would think anyone would have to be crazy not to agree with most of these.
I was the one who submitted this question to ask reddit. I honestly did not expect it to take off the way it did. Sorry for not getting back to Jonas in time.
Too many apps! I should be able to view a menu, place an order, leave a review, etc., without having to download yet another app. And I have four different apps related to my son's school, all completely different: one to deposit lunch money into his account, one for cross country practice and meet info, one for school district itself, and one to.communicate directly with his teacher.
I'm a boomer. At the very end of boomerness. I was born in 1960 why would my opinions be the same as someone born in 1946? I was 50 before I could afford to buy my first house and I couldn't afford it I lost it. So who should I identify with? The person in 1946 basically my parents gen? That's ridiculous I had computers in high school it was a little cutting edge but we had them. I worked in technology. I understand tech I don't necessarily like all of it but that's a personal opinion not a generational thing. Boomer things on Panda kind of p**s me off.
I hate the idea that you have to look like a model, own the newest models of everything, wear the latest in fashion trends, and anything else "trendy" or "mainstream" unless you want people judging you and looking down on you as you're just trying to love your life like a normal person.
Super agree with almost everything, except for those about music and even movies, because is like people who don´t know anything but American content
Also every second word being a swear. Like, breaking a bone? Swear to your hearts content. But not in every sentence you utter!!!
It's not exactly deliberate I think, it's just that kids don't read. They genuinely do not know how to spell or use grammar correctly
Load More Replies...K, so many of these comments sound like the whiny, entitled boomer-ish s**t that I hear over and over. Who raised the generation that you are complaining about? Who created the society that you feel so disconnected from? Who ends ends up blaming others instead of leading by example? Everyone complaining about screen time while actually doing the opposite... Bunch of hypocrites. Young people don't owe us anything for receiving the s****y end of the stick.
I'm a gen z kid and most of these are absolutely correct.
Load More Replies...