“I’m With The Boomers On This One”: 50 People Name Things They Think Older Generations Got Right
Interview With Expert
Boomers are often known for their slightly dated opinions, but who said we can’t agree with them once in a while? After all, they made significant contributions to music (rock and roll!), led various social movements, and implanted many important work and family values into the upcoming generations.
So when reddit user Youssef4573 asked netizens what was something they agreed with Boomers, they shared without hesitation. Down below, you’ll find a list of things that the older generation was right about. From unnecessary abbreviations and store apps to learning how to DIY and socialize, there’s a grain of truth in each of these Boomers’ opinions.
Bored Panda also reached out to "The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy" author Leonard Steinhorn, who kindly agreed to tell us more about Boomers.
This post may include affiliate links.
For the love of all that is holy, can we fix the audio in movies so that the music and sound FX aren’t drowning out the dialogue?
And light them better half the movie is filmed so dark I’m not sure what is happening. Way too many look like they forgot to pay the power bill.
There are plenty of articles online listing Boomers’ opinions that netizens find funny and absurd. But people are starting to agree with some of them, and it certainly raises the question: Is there anything else that we got wrong about Boomers?
We got in touch with author and expert in culture and media, Leonard Steinhorn who kindly agreed to tell us more about Boomers.
"In many ways, they are not all that much different from younger generations. Remember, this is a generation that championed or pioneered civil rights, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, social change, and environmental protection – that challenged their government over the Vietnam War."
"Boomers reshaped the norms of society in the Sixties, and younger generations today have internalized those norms. That doesn't mean all boomers or everyone younger have embraced those norms. But in many ways the culture war conflicts in society today are defined by how one views the legacy of the Sixties. "
"And yes, while there's lots of chatter about the illiberal sides of Gen Z, particularly among progressives on college campuses, every generation has had its illiberal impulses, but for the most part, the critical mass of Gen Z, millennials, and boomers all maintain a liberal sensibility."
I want to talk to a person in customer service, not a machine.
I am sick to death of the first 4 to 6 minutes of every damn call being automated rubbish and press 1 for this and 2 for that only to either end up in a freaking queue on hold or being told this can be done online and hung up on. Half the time you are in the queue and "mysteriously" are disconnected too. Then they wonder why customers are rude or raging on the phone. Dude, you have messed them around for upwards of 30 minutes before they even reached the call centre that are then unable to help them anyway.
I do not want to create an account to order from your site 1 time! I do not want to be on your email list. I'm literally going to forget you exist after I get my order.
Steinhorn added, "As Boomers grew up, what they found was a system, an establishment, that wasn't always telling them the truth or living up to its principles. Think of Vietnam. Segregation. Being told that "duck and cover" was a legitimate way to respond to a nuclear war."
"So Boomers developed an anti-establishment perspective on society. And they worked to replace the old establishment with a new one aligned with their norms. So in academia, media, culture, intellectual life, and even in business, families, and religion, boomers instilled a more liberal, less hierarchical worldview."
Not everything needs to be smart and connect to the internet.
Yup. I will admit I have entertained thoughts of living off of the grid entirely for at least one week just to get away from it all! There are functions for which I believe the Internet is a necessary tool; however, Internet and social media addiction are real in ways we may not even realize they are sometimes. All the while, the companies that claim to want to connect us more closely globally seem to be the ones using us for profit the most! (Meta, which currently owns both Facebook and Instagram, comes to mind especially! I enjoy using both, but I would not feel too bad if they both close down tomorrow, for example!)
It seems that the older generation shares more similarities than Millennials or Gen Z might think. Steinhorn reminds us that back then, Boomers also faced professional and financial difficulties.
"Do keep in mind that every generation has gone through difficult economic times. Younger generations don't know much about the high inflation and unemployment boomers faced in the 1970s and early 1980s when many were starting their careers. Back then, pundits were bemoaning a society and economy in which the American dream seemed much more distant for young people than it was for their parents. So for all the struggles people are facing today, please know that it's nothing new—that boomers faced it too."
Dislike for influencers or the idealization to become one.
The only influence they have on me is to NOT listen or read their b******t
No, I don't need everything in my car to be electronic, some stuff need buttons
F**k those QR code menus. Extremely annoying in foreign countries when data is expensive.
This is #1A+ on my hate list. Every thing about this concept is wrong. I eat out to have a relaxing break. Making me do work to give you money is ... (lots of harsh language).
The expert concluded by saying "I have no problem with younger people poking fun at their boomer elders these days. After all, boomers did the same with their parents. Just pick up an old issue of MAD magazine and see the satire. We all have to take this with good cheer."
"But if there's one thing that should unite these generations, it should be this: the inclusive, liberal-minded, sustainable society that boomers began to chart out in the 1960s, even if they have not always implemented it practice."
I want to be an owner of what I paid for, not a “subscriber”.
I’ve switched back to DVDs for this reason. You can get old DVDs for a few bucks each on my country’s version of eBay.
Kids shouldn't be on phones or iPads all the time. It makes them weird.
Be aware & courteous in your behaviour in public & social settings:
Don't yell-talk while a musician is playing at a concert. Talk between songs or go to the lobby.
Wait for a whistle/stoppage of play at a sporting event to get out of your seat, it you can.
Don't talk on speakerphone in public.
Use headphones for phone songs/games/videos.
If the waiting room/subway/bus is crowded, you bag does not get its own seat.
Don't douse yourself in perfume before a flight.
Being considerate of how we affect others around us is basic manners and bare-minimum-level empathy.
Social media is rotting people's minds, creating widespread mental illness, and destroying the social fabric.
Sometimes you just need to “suck it up, buttercup.” Not everything has to be accommodated because you don’t like it or it makes you slightly uncomfortable.
I agree! For example, conservatives need to stop whining about people’s pronouns.
As a teacher, actually disciplining your kids, and holding them accountable. This gentle parenting bs is not it.
Basing your whole parenting outlook on one parenting style label, in general. It's good to be compassionate with your kids, but know when to rein them in, too.
Not letting your children rule the roost. When did it become acceptable to let your kids back talk to you, slap you, climb all over s**t in public places? etc etc etc. As we've gone about raising ours I've witnessed so many parents around us just let these behaviours slide. It's kind of sad when I'm the one saying things like "Did I just hear you just say that to your mom?!?!?!?! That is not ok. You go and apologize right now!!". Then I get this stunned "deer in headlights" look back that tells me they aren't used to someone calling them out on their behaviour.
Yup! I’ve worked in my current industry long enough to see which kids rule the home and which parents are exercising caring and consistent authority there as they should be doing!
Having 25 checkout lanes with only 2 open during busy shopping times. Ridiculous.
I haven't worked in a grocery store, so I could be wrong. My theory is the amount of checkouts they open has nothing to do with trying to get customers checked out quickly or not care. It's about trying to save money on spending on checkers, and getting customers to stay in the store longer. Ever notice there's a lot more c**p placed around the checkout areas? That's for you to make an impulse buy. Often it's stuff geared to kids, so you get a lot of whiny, begging kids while the parents give in just so they can get their cart unloaded quickly and be pressured on keeping the line moving. When you get to the cashier, notice how quickly everything starts moving. This is the moment the store wants you to take your things and leave quickly. The quicker the line goes down, the quicker that employee can go off to do something less important, so the store has reason to say they don't need their cashiers working as long in their shifts. Just a theory.
Social Security, if you’re paying/paid into it, you deserve the returns when you retire.
Boomer here and this is 100% correct. Calling an "entitlement" is 100% wrong. It is not an entitlement if you (and your employer) pay for it.
They don't make appliances like they used to.
This problem adds so much extra garbage to our landfills, plus all the extra resources and energy it takes to make things in the first place. So much waste! Just make things to last 50+ years!
What about you watch the concert directly instead of through the screen of your phone/tablet? 🤔
When I was your age, you only had to pay for a video game once to own it.
I hate how I have to pay for a game on Xbox but I can't play it unless I have gamepass it's total b******t I own the game I shouldn't have to pay $20 a month to play it 🙄
A kid in 2024 should have the same freedom to exist unsupervised and move about their community independently as a boomer did growing up.
Children are more at risk from being harmed by someone they know; someone they trust; someone they love.
Wearing your waistband down around your thighs just looks silly. I have trouble not assuming a person wearing their pants like this is an imbecile.
Physical bound paper books vs. electronic. I'm staring at screens all day for work and play, I'd like at least one (effortless) pass time to not involve a screen.
Searching for a short question on Google should quickly and easily get me to a short answer. IN TEXT. Plainly and simply.
Go away YouTubers with fifty reaction emojis. P**s off blogs with fifty ads and a 500-word essay before even beginning to get to the point.
I find searching on Google really horrible know. I use to be able to do a search and if I didn't get exactly what I wanted I could use boulin searching to properly pare it down. Now it's so determined that it knows what I want, because this is what other people have searched, that I can't find anything I want and I know is there. I've started to use webcrawler for a good old fashioned reliable search
The power button shouldn't be camouflaged black on black and hidden in the most inaccessible place.
Ah, finally one that hasn't been talked about to death! And yes, I agree. Why can't it just be a white button on a black tv and placed in an easily seen and accessed spot???
Just because I’m in public doesn’t mean I want to be filmed. Yeah I know legally you can but common courtesy people..
That depends on the state or province where you live. For example, you must have two-party consent to record another person in my state.
I was gifted a bluetooth meat thermometer a couple of years ago. It was full of bells and whistles and the only way you could read the temperature is through an app on your phone. Tried using it a couple of times but eventually got frustrated with it, the battery ran out very quickly and it's now relegated to the back of a cupboard.
I just want something I can jam into the meat that gives me an instant temperature reading on the thing itself. Absolutely no need to reinvent the wheel.
"I just want something I can jam into my meat". Whoa now, this is a family friendly website
I don't want an electronic ticket on my phone, Give me a paper ticket.
*puck Ticketmaster!*
Car keys being apps on phones. No thanks, keys have been around a long time. There is a reason.
Lose or break your phone or have a flat battery and you are stranded. Try going camping for week in a remote location..phone goes flat and you are injured, can't call, can't drive to get help. You go remote, canoeing, wet your phone cos forgot it was in your swim shorts pocket and then what? Utterly stupid idea by inexperienced in real life skills graduates that haven't bothered to think it through.
My dad (a solid boomer) has been saying that ALL politicians are crooks since he became disenchanted with politics around the Nixon era. He was starry eyed before that, trying to make social change, yada yada. He still votes, but holds his nose. Can’t say I disagree with him.
Nixon was half of the Southern Strategy, the single most toxic event in American politics. Good perception on that.
Everyone just seems so precious about themselves. Everyone is obsessed with their attachment styles, 'manifesting', and what flavor of neuro-divergent they are.
I appreciate people being self aware or even going to therapy but so many people just jump on these trendy bandwagons or just want to feel special or different. I think social media obsession probably propagates this.
Agreed! I can totally understand making other people aware of how mental and neurological health concerns might affect a person, but acting like mental and neurological health. Concerns are trendy and fun to embrace disgusts me personally. I say this as someone who has had clinical anxiety in particular since my teen years. There’s nothing fun, cool, or gratifying about having such a condition and I’ve known many other people to complain about the same, regardless of what challenges they face.
Learning DIY skills is crucial. I had basically zero DIY skills when I bought my house because I had lived in apartments for so long and I've had to learn a lot. YouTube tutorials are absolutely clutch.
Do we really need all of these abbreviations? Does anyone know how to punctuate or use proper grammar anymore? Can these kids today read cursive?
First, language is dynamic - if it wasn't we'd all still be grunting. Secondly, if they can't read/write cursive it's because we didn't teach them how to.
No freaking calls on speaker.
Also, absolutely no social media scrolling/listening to music/playing games on speaker.
No calls on speaker in the public washrooms. I WILL obnoxiously make grotesque noises and embarrass you on purpose XD
Kids/teens are statistically spending *far* more time indoors since the 2000s and it is absolutely terrible for their physical and mental health. The cause of this is predominantly addictive indoor entertainment media, including social media and video games. And as a result youth are having their social and physical development stunted.
I think there is a lot of shame and denial in regards to this one. It makes the new generation sound a bit lame and pathetic. But... its true. Every single study ever done on this topic has largely come to this conclusion. It's happening, its bad, and we know what is causing it.
It doesn't help that in many places it's not safe for kids to be outside. The number of "third" spaces has also dwindled. Meaning places you can exist without anything being required. Like libraries and playgrounds
Food delivery services are a complete ripoff and if you use them regularly you’re terrible with money. Get off my lawn.
I’m assuming this doesn’t apply to people with disabilities, correct? I say this because I know people who do or may someday need to take advantage of grocery delivery and similar services, given the nature of their disabilities in each case.
Cancel culture is unnecessary and will suck all the fun out of society.
I’m of the firm opinion that there needs to at least be a statute of limitations. If someone was sexist 10 years ago but isn’t sexist now, WE ALREADY WON. I also think that misspeaking needs to be treated differently than openly spreading hatred. No specific person is obligated to forgive any specific other person, but we also need to get real about the fact that reformed bigots and people who made a small mistake are easier to yell at than the guy who got arrested for sex trafficking, and sometimes we’re being a wee bit morally lazy.
We’re all on our phones too much, to the point that social skills/considerations are degrading rapidly.
Ironically, I'm scrolling through this BP article on my phone. 🤔
Newer music does actually suck.
I’ve seen older people who are really passionate about music saying that there’s still a lot of talent out there. It tends to be the casual listeners who hear the dreck and assume that’s all there is.
People in our generation are far, far too sensitive.
Don't get it twisted, empathy is by and large a good thing and it takes some *serious* doing for me to say it's gone too far. But collectively we've become people who are willing to throw every last bit of energy fighting against every slight, and making sure *our* pet cause gets top billing to the point of fighting amongst each other *even if we're in almost complete agreement otherwise*. Emotional energy - like any other kind of energy - is very much a finite resource. Whereas boomers could at least generally agree to disagree and get on with things (obvious cross-wielding exceptions doth apply).
Culturally we've lost sight of the adage of "winning the battle, losing the war".
As a Boomer, it is VERY easy to see it that way. And I think mostly correct. However, also as a Boomer, the change in generational attitude regarding Bullying has been outstanding. Yes, bullying does still occur but it is 50x less and less toxic than when I was a young Boomer to be. Dealing with this "sensitivity" has become a huge positive.
Talking to people. There is a lot more depth to the interaction when you have it vs just text.
This talk / text divide is going to THE collision space between generations. I am 100% certain younger people will reject the concept but I am more than 100% certain that talking is better.
Cashierless stores are abhorrent.
I hate them with a passion. Because they don't bloody work. The poor girl who had to repeatedly help me the other day spent more time than it would have taken her to check out my shopping normally
Digital Parking Meters
So rather than throwing a few coins in your meter, you have to now get your license plate #, get your meter number, go to the meter station, stand in line with everyone waiting to pay their meter, then you're set.
It's an unnecessary amount of extra steps.
I don't carry cash much anymore, but I can hide a small amount of coin in my car to quickly pay a meter.
I will do whatever I can to avoid those. I will get a ride from a friend, catch a bus or walk from a free parking lot, just so I don't have to deal with that complete nonsense. How many other people are like me? How much money are they losing?
Asking to speak to someone’s manager isn’t always a bad thing. How it’s been characterized that just the action alone is some kind of karen behavior is beyond me…. So the yutes want to take the side of the companies trying to rip us all off now?
Context matters, obviously, but I don't understand how it can be ":beyond [you]" that it's become associated with 'Karens'. Does asking for the manager automatically make you a Karen? Of course not. But so many Karens ask for the manager. The worst thing to me are disruptive a******s who try to film content without regards to anyone else and then call other people Karens they won't get out of their shot when they're at a packed place, like Disneyland. F**K OFF with that.
Discipline in schools is a good thing. Used to be any adult could discipline a misbehaving child. Kids have no fear of adults these days.
Kids should never fear adults, but they should respect when respect is given. Ruling through fear is something no one should ever do. It's a totally different thing.
Writing thank you notes. My generation this has gone by the wayside but I really like it.
Also keeping up with phone calls. My mom is great about keeping up with her friends. I just sent them texts or comment on their social media photos.
Nope. A thank you note sent to someone you don't see regularly is one thing. But I refuse to waste my time and paper on a thank you note on something that I already expressed gratitude for in person.
There comes a point where obsessing about your mental health is harmful. And avoiding life in order to 'deal' with is counter productive. Often the solution is to keep yourself active and make smaller changes than just throwing your hands up and saying you need to stop working and go on benefits.
People who struggle with daily tasks because of mental or emotional struggles need a break to get to the point where they can handle daily tasks. It's a restructuring well worth the effort. Most times it's because people don't know how to deal with things because they didn't get support from their parents. It's better to take a break, learn how to deal with things, and go on to live rather than someone who doesn't take a break and ends up taking their own life.
Learning how to work on/maintain your cars. People are really getting to a point of reliance on shops because they simply can't do basic maintenance. Sure, it takes a few tools as well, but that's a one-time (typically) and multi use expense.
Ironically, you can look up pretty much any job on any vehicle on YouTube and get a pretty good idea of how to do it. Saves you a ton of money, and you are learning something new.
You don't need to know how to disassemble the whole engine to get to the crankshaft or anything, but learn to do your own oil, change your own filters, etc. Your pocket book will thank you, and on most cars, this is still a 20-minute job.
Changing your own oil involves having a place to dump the old oil. We can't just throw it anywhere. Plus, I would have to get under my car, which is dangerous because it would involve jacking it up. And I'm not going to take the risk of a lifelong injury for an oil change. You do you.
Poll Question
Thanks! Check out the results:
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
You May Also Like
Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk
Do you think childless individuals should be expected to chip in for group babysitting costs during friend gatherings?
17 Y.O. Is Done Sharing Her Birthday With Her Late Twin, Parents Are Not Having It
Do you think the girl should be allowed to celebrate her birthday without the remembrance of her deceased twin?
Phones are brilliant devices, but you can have too much of a good thing. Phones should not be allowed in the classroom. Also, stay off of them while interacting with people.
I'm not American or a parent, but if I was I would absolutely insist that my kids have their phones on and on their person in the classroom at all times. They should not be USING it, but with the number of shootings that take place in that country, it wouldn't be an option for me.
Load More Replies...
every generation will be whining about the good old days. More and more i see my generation being the same complainers as the Boomers (im gen x) YES i miss the old days too, but by far not everything!!
Phones are brilliant devices, but you can have too much of a good thing. Phones should not be allowed in the classroom. Also, stay off of them while interacting with people.
I'm not American or a parent, but if I was I would absolutely insist that my kids have their phones on and on their person in the classroom at all times. They should not be USING it, but with the number of shootings that take place in that country, it wouldn't be an option for me.
Load More Replies... every generation will be whining about the good old days. More and more i see my generation being the same complainers as the Boomers (im gen x) YES i miss the old days too, but by far not everything!!
