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Millennials Didn’t Just Destroy These 40 Industries, They Buried ’Em And Salted The Earth
There was a time when people blamed millennials for “destroying” certain industries. A backlash against the consumption of flashy items was believed to have contributed to the supposed decline of luxury brands. At the same time, traditional gyms were reportedly harmed by the generation’s preference for specialized fitness classes.
Now, many of these millennials are speaking out about the destruction they believe they personally contributed to. A recent Reddit thread sparked discussions about their mission to sabotage restaurant QR code menus, decorative soaps, and the wedding industry as a whole.
For all non-millennial readers out there, has Gen Y inflicted significant damage as perceived?
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Cemeteries….i do not believe my rotting carcus deserves a permanent piece of earth and to take up space for the next generation.
QueerAxolotls 6 months ago
If I don't become one of those tree bodies, I'm coming back and haunting someone. Let my descendants freak people out with gifts of fruit from the dead ancestor tree.
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#2
I refuse to buy fabric softener and my clothes smell and look great.
Lyone Fein 6 months ago
I have never understood fabric softener, dryer sheets, odor pour ins, or any of those other extraneous laundry items. I am washing my clothes in order to remove everything that isn’t clothing from them. Why would I want to add more chemicals to them, and then put that on my body?
#3
I've had the same batch of clothes for like 15 years does that count?
#4
The wedding industry (although I guess this sector is still going somewhat strong). My partner and I eloped and went on a trip to a foreign country for a honeymoon with the saved cash.
#5
The cheap pet food industry. Forgive me for not wanting to feed my cat cornmeal and chicken byproduct slop.
#6
I'm childfree, so the entire toy and baby industry, I guess.
Kallen Kneeland 6 months ago
Thank you for lessening the burden of overpopulation on the Earth.
#7
Hair coloring.
I'm keeping the grey.
Judy Reynolds 6 months ago
I am waiting for my hair to go grey, so I can dye it pink. Don't want the bleach. And it looks like it is going to be a long wait.
#8
I've been trying really hard to k**l the coffee industry. I drink as much as I can but they keep up too well!
#9
Chain restaurants. I’m done paying out the wazoo for microwaved meals and premixed drinks.
I’ve learned to cook and I’m not a Michelin star chef by any means but I can make way tastier food at home now.
#11
Movie theatres.Too pricy when streaming and snacks at home are affordable.
L.V 6 months ago
No that's something I won't give up! I love going to see a film on a big screen, and meeting friends to go together( don't worry, we don't speak during the film, but will have a drink before our after). I'm more selective though, and either use my unlimited subscription, or go to an indie cinema showing hard to find or foreign films.
#13
Greeting cards/bday cards/etc. The only cards I will buy are thank you, retirement, wedding, and sympathy. And only from the dollar store. Cards go into the trash so why pay $5 for one? I have a Cricut so sometimes I’ll make my own cards.
I also avoid gift wrap whenever possible. I buy baby shower gifts and wedding gifts and put them in storage totes. Much more practical. .
Wheeskers 6 months ago
As an adult, my kid has never sent me a card for this reason. It kills me. I would love to get something like that from them. The card isn't for them, it's for ME. I would cherish it like no tomorrow. I would save them with my others from other people whom I love. I would love to see him just write, love you mom on it and not a text. I want to hold it near my heart. But I'll never get to because of this way of thinking. How you feel about the industry is whatever but just once think of those that would love getting something from you. It's about your loved one, not how you feel about the card makers.
#14
“Nice” dishes.
We have a decent set of everyday plates and tableware. One year, my in-laws gifted us a set of nice dishes and tableware. They were APPALLED that we gave away our old set and exclusively use the good stuff.
We aren’t supposed to use them, apparently. Except like once or twice a year whenever we host Christmas or Thanksgiving or something… which we never host.
realenancy170 6 months ago
You are absolutely right in using them. I am a boomer who pared down possesions to things that I loved for aesthetic reasons or could use. Nice dishes can be used every day. Nice dishes can be "dressed up" occasionally with a tablecloth and linen napkins if you want for a special occasion.
#17
Soda! Gave it up January 1st, 2024, and haven’t looked back. No cans, no 2 liters, no convenience store cups. I brew unsweetened tea at home and drink water.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
I hear if you stop drinking pop and other highly sweetened drinks and food for a while, when you start eating and drinking pop you can taste all the sweeteners. It becomes nauseatingly sweet to you.
#18
Silverware that's actually silver and not stainless. "Fine china.".
Bacon Tentacles 6 months ago
Silver is gorgeous, but it tarnishes at the drop of a hat. Been there, done that. I'll take the stainless, thanks.
#19
In germany we say "The retail sector is dying" ("Der Einzelhandel stirbt"), meaning people go less and less to stores and buy their stuff local in a shopping or city centre.
You know what? I couldn't care less that this part of the retail-industry is dying. You go to an electronics store here and they ask 20€ for a 1.5m HDMI cable. You can get a 5m cable with shipping for 10€.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 6 months ago
I like in-person shopping for things I want to see and handle before I buy (fresh produce, for instance), and when I just want an excuse to get out of the house. But a lot of times, it’s easier to find exactly what I want online. And I’d rather wait for the delivery than stand in line in a noisy, crowded store to pay for my items.
#21
It was me. I k****d Toys-R-Us, I grew up. I'm so sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
but.. but. I don't wanna grow up. I want to stay a Toys R US kid. So many, many toys that I can play with, still.
#22
Subway - coming from a big east coast American city, we’re teeming with tasty submarine sandwiches, and don’t need subways corporate, loveless, flavorless, sugar-filled bread subs. Ignoring the loss of $5/foot long and the Jared Fogle stuff, I’m excited to see subway close indefinitely.
#23
Local florists. I love to buy local when I can, but my local florist charges $60 for 12 small tulips. I can get 15 large tulips from Whole Foods for $14.
I hate that. I wish I could afford to buy local. Just can’t.
#24
Mcdonalds. It use to be a fun place for kids and families but Millennials made it grow up with them. Now it is all screens and corporate cafe vibes.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
Hey, leave us out of it. We, millennials, very much want the old McDonalds back.
#25
The iron industry — like does any millennial actually iron their clothes? The cursive and signatures industry. Not that there’s an industry for that but I just, forgot cursive, and don’t have a proper signature.
#26
Over consumption.
Especially buying literally everything on Amazon. I understand if it's a necessity for older folks or in rural areas. But I'm realizing that I can buy nearly everything besides food + toiletries at my favorite local thrift store or on Facebook Marketplace.
GalPalAl 6 months ago
I boycotted Amazon when they first started to compete with, and eventually destroy the market with traditional bookstores. Now it's on principle alone. Hey Jeff Bezos, why don't you donate money to charitable efforts instead buying a stupid boat to gloat. Greedy ahole. May karma pay you a much needed visit. Jerkwad
#27
Car rental. Never rented a car in my life. And air travel. I haven't flown in well over a decade and never paid for a ticket myself.
So yeah, poverty is the most effective killer of industries.
#28
Millennials were the first generation I think to start abandoning terrestrial radio broadcast in favor of podcasts or streaming. Millennials on the edge with Gen X such as myself still listened to radio...but I think most millennials born in the 90s probably never got into radio. And probably for good reason as radio industry declined severely by the late 90s.
Mel in Georgia 6 months ago
The only thing I listen to on the radio is NPR. Please donate to keep it going in your local area.
#29
Cable. I was one of the first people I knew who "cut the cord" in the early 2010s. I was in my little hipster phase, thinking i was smarter or more unique watching indie movies and documentaries on Netflix. I uses to be mad judgy when I would hang out at my friend's houses and they'd be watching cable.
Now I'm nostalgic for a time where most people would at least be watching the same shows instead of being in their algorithmic content bubbles, or if 2 people happen to be watching the same show, people are on different episodes.
Now I find myself watching old broadcasts that have the commercials because I miss that time.
nicholas nolan 6 months ago
It was only 2 years ago that stand alone internet service was actually cheaper than bundling cable/phone/internet in my area. It was weird, trying to go down to the single service and having them tell me the bill would go up by $20/month.
#31
The fashion industry I guess? Most of my clothes are from Costco because they have my size (try finding a 36" inseam at any regular retail store, I dare you!) I haven't stepped foot in a Gap, old navy, Macy's, etc in a decade. .
#33
Nice Clothes/fashion.
I wear the same 3 sweatpants everyday since I work from home. And, I don’t really go out anymore on weekends. If I do, it’s just one of the 2 pairs of jeans I have and a t-shirt from the brand of snowboards I ride or the “popular” state school I went to college’s football logo.
That’s it. My entire wardrobe is maybe 500 dollars worth of clothes and it’s sustained me since Covid started.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
Whenever my mom sees me leaving for work wearing jeans and a t-shirt she judges, "You're going to work wearing THAT?" Uh, yeah. Why? We're allowed and I don't feel comfortable looking like I'm dressed up to go to some fancy restaurant every d**n morning.
#34
The kick knack industry. I’m done filling my place up w bs wall ornaments.
#36
I was hoping we would be the generation to k**l off cable television but the chokehold they have on local sports is making it difficult.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
I haven't had cable in years. It's way too expensive and every show I like I can buy the disc series or watch it for free somewhere.
#37
Craft beer. I still think it’s delicious, but at $7 a pint and probably close to 300-400 calories for some styles, I just stay away.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
Beer is even crazier priced at the arena. $19-$24 for a single beer at the last concert I went to, and I heard it's more expensive during hockey games. One restaurant I used to go used to sell a Kokanee for $4 a bottle. Now it's closer to $9.
#38
Mapquest. I got in like 3 accidents trying to read those f****n directions.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
I believe you're supposed to look at the map when you're not driving. Paying attention to your phone while putting yourself and others at risk is all on you.
#39
Laundry softener industry. I don't know a single person that buys Downy.
#40
-Cursive writing
-Paper maps (for better)
-Rolodex
-Landlines
-Formal dresscode
-Ironing every piece of clothing
-Malt shoppes
-Traditional marriages
-Sears and K-Mart
-Bar soap (not the artisan variety).
Lost Panda 6 months ago
I still write in cursive everyday... My print is atrocious, so I started with cursive and never went back
#41
Chain restaurants, any unnecessary chemicals, gasoline/diesel, spending on s**t quality clothes every month, linear tv and probably many more.
#42
Blockbuster. I stopped going to my local store for a few months and before long they were out of business. But this is not a business I am happy to have helped k**l. .
#43
Candles. What a waste and most of them just release toxins in the air. The really good candles are too expensive. Just open the windows or use an air purifier.
#44
Both the Avocado and Toast industries.
StrangeOne 6 months ago
I actually love avocado on toast. Definitely on a bagel with heirloom tomatoes and baby greens. (Heirloom tomatoes are a bit pricier, but they're larger and have more way more flesh and less juicy mess than those typical hybrid tomatoes. I got one that lasted through 3, 4 sandwiches last week.)
#45
Happiness.
#46
Top sheet - we just do the fitted sheet and duvet. Raising 2 kids to do the same.
#48
Probably toy stores, I buy my kids toys all from Amazon now. If my dad had Amazon years ago he too would have never driven and cut out hours of his day to hear us whine in toysrus about getting something that's new, a fad and expensive.
Wintermute 6 months ago
Nah. Going to toy stores was a huge part of the fun in itself. Hands on, interactive. It taught us decision making, budgeting and appreciation. I love that I can have stuff show up to my house with ease, but it's not a richer experience. I love taking my kids to toy stores, even if it is a huge pita.
#49
Lego Bionicles. Couldn’t afford to buy enough when they were out to keep going.
#50
The (cow) milk industry. We pretty much only drink oat milk. I remember back in the 90s and early 2000s my family would have a glass of milk with dinner every night. It's crazy to me that that was normal, since now we drink water with every meal.
Boris Long-Johnson 6 months ago
Oh god no - I’m a millennial and oat / nut “milk” (I don’t believe it’s even allowed to be called that here) is utterly vile! However I’ve never really drank a “glass of milk” just had it in tea and coffee/on occasional cereal etc.
#51
The shopping mall experience. We all shop online now.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 6 months ago
I loved the mall when I was young—but I was young in the 80s. The malls have gone downhill, and I have less tolerance for noise and stupidity now.
#52
S****y boomer restaurants — the “institutional” ones that haven’t updated their menus in 30 yrs.
realenancy170 6 months ago
You have to wait until we are all dead. I need to eat Beef Wellington, Coquille St Jacque and creme brulee at least once a year! These kind of dishes will speed our demise so just stay strong.
What do you think ?
Mel in Georgia 6 months ago
How about PCs? A lot of people millennial age and younger have maybe a laptop? You can drag my tower PC from my cold, dead boomer hands.
Boris Long-Johnson 6 months ago
It depends on what you want out of a computer. If you’re a gamer or need loads of local storage than a tower makes sense but otherwise you may well be better buying a laptop and a dock/monitor/keyboard/mouse. I don’t game so that’s what I do - best of both worlds and just use a NAS for local storage.
Load More Replies...
featherytoad 6 months ago
Not an industry, but voting out Republicans. Essentially, killing off the Republican Party.
G A 6 months ago
Yeah and look what the hell happened. They were replaced by MAGA mor ons
Load More Replies...
Kallen Kneeland 6 months ago
Some of these make me so proud of these "kid's"! They are our hope for a positive future for mankind.
Anony Mouse 6 months ago
I wish someone would k**l virtue signaling. This list would disappear in a poof!
SchadenFreudian Psychology 6 months ago
Business has fvcked itself over, shot itself in the foot, and killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. If you want people to spend money on your products, pay your employees better (they’re also customers) and stop price gouging.
Sue 6 months ago
I've been thinking that since Reagan was in office & I was old enough to vote. It's simple. If you don't PAY PEOPLE THEY CAN'T BUY YOUR CR*P! I think the only 2 reasons there wasn't a revolution earlier is mom's working more (outside the home) & easy credit that allowed everyone to postpone their bankruptcy. Of course, they cut the credit card interest rate deduction around the same time they made credit easier to get.
Load More Replies...
Hahato 6 months ago
All these industries would be in trouble is millenials would actually act instead of just whining on social media.
Sue 6 months ago
Says the Boomer whining on social media. Typical. Yeahhh, I'm a boomer & caught you.
Load More Replies...
Maxine Morgan 5 months ago
PANTY HOSE. Bless the "younger generations" for making them obsolete. Love, a Grateful Boomer.
Floeckchen 6 months ago
LEGO in particular. Too expensive and the quality goes down constantly. The prices per tile are ridiculous especially in licensed sets, the sets themself are getting worse. And they also produce in china, so not even that argument holds any weight anymore. Once you tried sets from FunWhole, Pantasy, Cada... or really anything that is listed on BlueBrixx you propably will never look back.
Mel in Georgia 6 months ago
How about PCs? A lot of people millennial age and younger have maybe a laptop? You can drag my tower PC from my cold, dead boomer hands.
Boris Long-Johnson 6 months ago
It depends on what you want out of a computer. If you’re a gamer or need loads of local storage than a tower makes sense but otherwise you may well be better buying a laptop and a dock/monitor/keyboard/mouse. I don’t game so that’s what I do - best of both worlds and just use a NAS for local storage.
Load More Replies... featherytoad 6 months ago
Not an industry, but voting out Republicans. Essentially, killing off the Republican Party.
G A 6 months ago
Yeah and look what the hell happened. They were replaced by MAGA mor ons
Load More Replies... Kallen Kneeland 6 months ago
Some of these make me so proud of these "kid's"! They are our hope for a positive future for mankind.
Anony Mouse 6 months ago
I wish someone would k**l virtue signaling. This list would disappear in a poof!
SchadenFreudian Psychology 6 months ago
Business has fvcked itself over, shot itself in the foot, and killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. If you want people to spend money on your products, pay your employees better (they’re also customers) and stop price gouging.
Sue 6 months ago
I've been thinking that since Reagan was in office & I was old enough to vote. It's simple. If you don't PAY PEOPLE THEY CAN'T BUY YOUR CR*P! I think the only 2 reasons there wasn't a revolution earlier is mom's working more (outside the home) & easy credit that allowed everyone to postpone their bankruptcy. Of course, they cut the credit card interest rate deduction around the same time they made credit easier to get.
Load More Replies... Hahato 6 months ago
All these industries would be in trouble is millenials would actually act instead of just whining on social media.
Sue 6 months ago
Says the Boomer whining on social media. Typical. Yeahhh, I'm a boomer & caught you.
Load More Replies... Maxine Morgan 5 months ago
PANTY HOSE. Bless the "younger generations" for making them obsolete. Love, a Grateful Boomer.
Floeckchen 6 months ago
LEGO in particular. Too expensive and the quality goes down constantly. The prices per tile are ridiculous especially in licensed sets, the sets themself are getting worse. And they also produce in china, so not even that argument holds any weight anymore. Once you tried sets from FunWhole, Pantasy, Cada... or really anything that is listed on BlueBrixx you propably will never look back.
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