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Everybody gets old eventually, but sometimes our age creeps up on us unexpectedly and we're surprised at how much things have changed. Many people talk about how the younger generation doesn't know what a VHS is, doesn't recognize famous old-school bands, or was just born in the 2000s. And even more people feel old after interacting with younger folks, from their new slang terms to their still fresh and hopeful outlook towards life.
This online user focused mainly on the workplace and asked people to share how their younger coworkers made them feel old. A bunch of users delivered entertaining stories that might even leave you feeling old and confused.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
When i fell down the last couple of steps on a stairway. No one pointed and laughed like I expected, instead they helped me up and asked me if I was okay. That’s when I knew.
We spoke to Dr. Gleb Tsipursky who wrote "Never Go With Your Gut" and he shared some insights on the topic: "Younger people often make older individuals feel 'old' due to a generational gap in technology, language, and cultural references. This can create a sense of disconnect, making older employees feel as if they are not as adaptable or 'in the loop' as their younger counterparts. The rapid pace of change in the workplace also plays a role; younger individuals may be quicker to adopt new software or methodologies, potentially making older employees feel left behind."
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#2
When they absolutely love a "new" song and then I tell them it's a re-make of a song from 25 years ago. They almost always try to tell me I'm wrong, until I pull up the evidence and then it's shocked Pikachu face lol.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 2 years ago
A few years ago I read about a Kanye West song featuring Paul McCartney and some Kanye fans were saying how great it was for him to help out an unknown (to them) singer.
#3
had an intern refer to the 90s as 'the late 1900s'
wtf. its true, but it makes my teenage years sound like the oregon trail or something
Dr. Gleb also shared some tips and tricks on how to stay youthful in the office: "To stay on top, especially in the office, older people should focus on continuous learning and upskilling. Familiarize yourself with the latest industry trends and technologies. Mentoring younger employees can also be beneficial; it's a two-way street where both parties can learn from each other. Building a personal brand based on experience and wisdom can offer a unique value proposition that younger coworkers may lack. Lastly, ensure that you are networking both inside and outside of the office to keep your professional connections strong."
#4
My childhood cat lived to 21.5 so teaching (freshman biology lab, so students were ~18) became very weird when I realized my cat was older than my students
Michael Largey 2 years ago (edited)
Since you were teaching teenagers, you were lucky to have a long experience at herding cats.
#5
Saying Go Go Gadget Arms to a table when reaching for items and getting blank stares in return. Ok listen kids, you have no idea how funny this is. Lol.
Dr. Gleb also answered at what age people start feeling old: "Around their late 40s to early 50s. This is often when physical aging becomes more noticeable, and children may be leaving home, leading to a sense of emptiness and introspection. In the workplace, this might be the age when employees start to feel less in touch with younger colleagues or when they notice that higher-level positions are being filled by younger individuals."
#6
I'm a (female) computer geek. I was running cables with this guy at work one night, and he kept trying to keep me out of the actual work part. I finally told him 'I've been doing this since before you were born!'
That was about 25 years ago, and as of right now, I've been working in the computer field for 44 years.
#7
Had a co-worker ask me, “Back before cell phones, did you just have to wait around at your house for a call?” Uh, yeah, pretty much.
"Labeling oneself as 'old' in the context of intergenerational relationships can be detrimental. It might induce a self-fulfilling prophecy where the older individual starts behaving according to the limitations they assume come with being 'old,' thereby missing out on opportunities for growth and learning. However, acknowledging one's experience and wisdom as a form of 'positive aging' can be empowering," said Dr. Gleb when we asked if labeling oneself as old is a bad or good thing.
#8
They were complaining how hard and awkward it is to meet women on Tinder. I asked if they ever had to call a girl at home and her Dad answered the phone. They were horrified.
Another time one of my guys asked what a payphone was. We worked at a phone company.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Poor Superman. Now he has to change clothes in Porta potties.
#9
Various colleagues were debating whether the Concorde had been real. They couldn’t fathom that supersonic civilian aircraft used to exist and now they don’t anymore.
The Concorde last flew in 2003, when these colleagues were toddlers.
"The dynamic between younger and older people in an office environment can be very beneficial if managed correctly. Younger employees often bring new perspectives, tech-savviness, and a willingness to take risks. Older employees, on the other hand, bring experience, industry knowledge, and a nuanced understanding of company politics. Organizations that create a culture of mutual respect and learning between these two groups are generally more innovative and adaptive to change," shared Dr. Gleb. So if at any time you feel "old" in your workplace, remember that you have a very important part to play and wisdom to share with the younger workers.
#10
In trade school, we were doing introductions, saying a little bit about ourselves. One kid says "yeah, I'm really into classic cars, I have a 1997 *something or another*. Me, the other couple older folks, and the instructors all made audible groans of horror.
#11
Getting a blank stare after saying we’d meet, “Same bat-time, same bat-channel.”
#12
Went grocery shopping and I thought, "Hey, they're playing some pretty good music."
#13
Software engineering manager here. I have team members that have never seen Lord of the Rings.
#14
I was talking to a coworker about movies and our favorites. I said something like “I watched that movie so much when I had it on tape in my college years”
Her: Tape?
Me: You know, on VCR?
Her: VCR?
Me: Oh well I guess those are old now. Everything is on DVD now.
Her: DVD?
Me: I guess those are old too. I guess Blu-ray is what’s on disc now.
Her: Disc?
Me: Nevemind
She was half joking but nonetheless it made me feel old.
#15
They started calling me "mom" or "Mama bear" on the walkie-talkies. I find it kind of endearing, actually.
#16
When a younger female said she was going to come by "with some incredible tea." I was profoundly confused and disappointed when she showed up to my office without a calming elixir of the gods and instead proceeded to talk s**t about our co worker.
#17
For me, it’s listening to a much younger group of girls complain about the guys they are hung up on. They are beautiful and young and have aspiring careers and they’ll tell me a story of what a guy did on a date and they’re like “I don’t know what to do!!” And I’m just sitting there like, “are you kidding me? Tell him to go f**k himself and find someone else who values and respects you?” I’m in my 40s now I don’t take s**t any more and my current boyfriend treats me like a queen. I’m always telling them to accept nothing less than absolute princess treatment from a guy. They never listen though.
#18
I'm in IT. Co-worker needed to borrow a serial cable. The cable was older than the co-worker.
#19
I'm a preschool teacher. It's been a TRIP to watch parents go from Soooo much older than me, to the same age as me, and now they're younger than me!?!?
#20
Left a note for a new hire to call IT to help him set up his work phone and he couldn’t read cursive. Asked me what language I wrote the note in.
#21
When I was talking to this new delivery driver and we realized I had delivered pizza to his mother in the hospital on the day he was born.
#22
Younger dude said his first gaming console was the PlayStation 4, first computer ran windows 8, and had no idea what we meant by dial up or rotary phones. Had to stop and reevaluate my age lol.
#23
(coworker) hey, a few of us are going out Friday night, wanna come?
(me) sure
(cw) great! Meet at my place at 11.
(me) wait, 11pm?...ok (to myself) that's when I was planning on going to bed
Just another idiot 2 years ago
I'm in my 40s. When darkness falls, I like to be in my recliner with a tumbler of bourbon and watch TV.
#24
Our payroll company went under (luckily not with our money), so for that month, we got real live, honest-to-goodness paper checks. Several co-workers didn't really know what they were or how they could turn them into money.
BoredPossum 2 years ago
I'd never even seen a check before I changed country. In Sweden we haven't used them for ages.
#25
This effing toddler "software developer" had the freaking nerve to tell me that Windows 95 was released BEFORE HE WAS BORN. I was like, no dude, it was just a few years ago. I asked him how old he was. He tells me he's 26, just finished his masters. He must be thinking of DOS 6 or around there. Yup. He was born after Windows '95 was released.
Jeremy Bolanos 2 years ago
I remember standing in line at the 'computer store' to buy Windows 95 (floppy edition) and then installing it over Windows 3.1
#26
One of my coworkers said their parents got them into Nirvana and Soundgarden because “that’s what they listened to in highschool.” I think I went into a fugue state for a minute with that one. But I still maintain that I am not old, and that 1997 was a few years ago.
SolitaryIntrovert 2 years ago
My High School music was bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, etc.
#27
Not me but a friend named Jessica (my name is also Jessica) said she was working with a young woman also named Jessica who said “oh wow I’ve never met someone with my same name!” She was 22. If you grew up in the 90s there were so many Jessicas.
#28
When I couldn't decipher the two youngest coworkers parts of the conversation. I had to search what some words meant.
#29
I work at a brewery part-time as a beertender (aka bartender) for extra income and free beer. I'm 45, and most of them are in their early 20s. I like all of them, but boy, did I realize quickly that I was out of touch with today's slang in the US! We were trying a new beer, and my coworker was like, "Damn, this really slaps," and that was followed by "no cap" by another. I stood there so confused about what these guys just said. They have all taught me much more since😆
Joshua David 2 years ago
I just act privy to the slang like totally. Then later I'll do research.
#30
Years ago, before I retired, when I met a new young troop and realized I'd been in the military longer than they had been alive...
Michael Largey 2 years ago
I know someone who retired from the military on the day before his daughter would outrank him.
#31
I'm mid-50's and a programmer. I have been a programmer longer than a couple of the people on my team have been alive. There is also a dude that just doesn't have any interest in retiring, is in his mid-70's and worked on ARPANET. Some of our team meetings are pretty entertaining!
#32
Five or six years back, my team and I went out for lunch around the holidays. Somehow, "Where were you on 9/11?" came up, and we're all going around the table sharing stories. I was in my first week of university. I thought a Third World War was about to break out, and I was in exactly the right age to have to go fight it. I watched the second plane hit live on television, and by the afternoon I was making plans to join the navy. I tell this story, and a lot of the senior people around the table's heads are nodding, then the new hire chimes in, "I was in the second grade..." Today, most of those senior people have moved on to other things, and my team has grown to include a number of young people. Sometimes I tell them the tales of twenty years ago when I learned how to use Adobe Photoshop 7.0 that came on a thing called a CD. My graphic designers nod. They've heard those legends before, but they were pre-JK at the time. Then they show me how to do something in Photoshop the non-dinosaur way, and I nod too. I've heard the legends of these new-fangled ways that make my hard jobs easy before...
#34
We were talking about where we were on 9/11, and my coworker went quiet. He wasn’t even born.
We also had a band that was famous in the 90s stay at the hotel, and he had no idea who they were, meanwhile I was so star struck as they were my entire childhood!
#36
When they say “you look great for your age” like DED
#38
"Who's Bruce Willis?"
#40
Social drinks after work, then being hungover af the next day while everyone else is 100% normal.
#41
I have a coworker who didn’t know the catchphrase “snap, crackle and pop” was for rice crispy treats.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 2 years ago
Now, 'Snap Crackle and Pop' are sounds my body makes sometimes :(
#42
when they talk about aaall the fun stuff like concerts, trips, holidays they do whenever they get the chance (including during weekday) and I internally think that I barely have the energy to drag myself home when the work day is over
Michael Largey 2 years ago
When one of my former Calculus students sent me a video of him skydiving, I thought "Didn't I explain the numbers clearly enough to you?"
#43
I told one of my coworkers that my first job was working at blockbuster video and got a long side eye before he said boy, you're a lot older than you look. Edit: forgot a word
#45
In 2016, my GM rapped Ludacris' song Ho. My young coworkers gave him a round of applause...because they thought he was freestyling...because they didn't know the song. Then I realized since they were like 19, that song came out when they were toddlers.
#46
When I accidentally referred to it as THE Discord instead of just Discord.
Rinso the Red 2 years ago
My wife and I find adding "The" to anything is a sure way to elicit a groan from the younglings. So, of course, we do it at every opportunity.
#47
A coworker and I were talking and they said "say less"
I replied "oh... Okay." And I walked away confused.
I had to google what that meant after.
Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
From Google: In slang, the phrase "say less" is often used as a concise way of expressing agreement or acknowledging that you understand what someone is saying without adding any further comment
#48
They used lingo I've never heard at the time. He says "thats fire" and I kind of mockingly repeat it but i didn't do it exactly like how he said, I was like "that shits on fire" and he laughed at me and was like "nah man its just 'fire'." Lol
#49
Lovely coworker invited me to a party at her house. That *started* at 9:00 pm. That’s bedtime!
Oleksandr Miliukov 2 years ago
You may be a lark for entire 17 years of your life, not necessary to be a boomer for it
#50
Got a new boss that was younger than myself.
#51
Saving Private Ryan happened to be on the TV in the break room. During one of Tom Hanks' scenes, my coworker said "Oh, hey...it's the guy from Polar Express!" My man, you do *not* disrespect Buffy Wilson like that!!!
#52
When they were planning a party outside of work and I asked " sounds cool, can I come?" They answered " sure we didn't think to invite you, we thought you weren't into this kind of stuff anymore."
#53
I work with a couple of lads and they are huge gamers. Every conversation is about gaming in some way, shape or form. Occasionally they'll ask me if I've played specific games and depending on my response if the conversation continues to flow. A few days ago, they were talking about Final Fantasy 7R and as usual asked me if I'd played the game. I said I had a couple of times and that I loved the original and consider it my all time favorite game. They asked me when was the original released and when I told them it was around 1997, both of the lads responded along the lines of, "I wasn't even born then". I wouldn't necessarily class myself as old, but that moment certainly made me feel it.
#55
Not me, but my 40 year old husband was picking up food for the office. A 18 year old co worker asked if he had Cashap. My husband was like “Say what?”. He had no idea such a thing existed.
troufaki13 2 years ago
Well, that's just not keeping up with times. I'm 47 and I have the Greek equivalent
#56
I made a Seinfeld reference in a meeting and nobody understood.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 2 years ago
I'm 67 and I wouldn't know either. Don't watch the show.
#57
Girl was 17 and just had a baby. I was 32. She asked me if I was into investing (which at the time I only had savings accounts and CD’s). She asked my opinion on it, I suggested that maybe she needed to talk to an actual financial advisor. She said “I really just wanted to talk to an adult about it.”
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
I am not an adult, oh f**k wait a minute I think i'm s'posed to be.
#58
I had to explain “VH1 Pop Up Video” Found a YouTube example, and immediately had to shut it down due to being problematic.
Jared Robinson 2 years ago
lol like how problematic are we talking here. those were wild times.
#59
When I referenced the band Offspring and none of my staff had heard of them. I just curled up and died inside.
#60
Seeing what look like literal kids during a team meeting but they're married and have a 3yo kid.
#61
They didn’t know who stone cold Steve Austin is
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 2 years ago
The only Steve Austin I know was worth $6m many decades ago
What do you think ?
Randy Sanders 2 years ago
My oldest son's history teacher was teaching about the Vietnam war, and he had to write an essay about it. I helped him out. He got an F and I knew then her facts were wrong. I had a meeting with her to rectify this problem and she proceeded to tell me all kinds of things that were just plain wrong. I finally had to say, "Lady, I was there, you weren't". Her eyes got really big. Anyway, the upshot of all this was I was invited to talk in her class about it. PS, My son got an A.
Will Cable 2 years ago
When you talk to someone and you realise some of your clothes are older than they are.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
I have shoes older than my boss. Quality shoes mind you
Load More Replies...
UpQuarkDownQuark (he/hey you) 2 years ago
The internet has changed everything between generations. Media is partially democratized, allowing you to find and watch or listen to anything from any time, but is also increasingly spoon fed by algorithms. For us we over-40s television was as the primary means of media consumption, and whether you were 10 or 80, Sam Donaldson or Walter Kronkite presented the news. There weren’t many channels, so you watched old shows from 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago. From 8pm to 10pm the same shows were on for everybody. This means I knew about old phones, old radio shows, old movies, old singers, and old technology and old cultural mores. It’s just not true anymore.
AndThenICommented 2 years ago (edited)
Nailed it. We didn’t grow up so segregated from our parents’ or even grandparents’ pop culture or technology. I realise now that my partner and I have been raising our kiddo in a more old school way in that we still watch tv together (whatever it is), we share tech in the house (even have a family computer), listen to music together, have family dinner, just generally more inter-generational sharing. I didn’t realise this was unusual until now.
Load More Replies... Randy Sanders 2 years ago
My oldest son's history teacher was teaching about the Vietnam war, and he had to write an essay about it. I helped him out. He got an F and I knew then her facts were wrong. I had a meeting with her to rectify this problem and she proceeded to tell me all kinds of things that were just plain wrong. I finally had to say, "Lady, I was there, you weren't". Her eyes got really big. Anyway, the upshot of all this was I was invited to talk in her class about it. PS, My son got an A.
Will Cable 2 years ago
When you talk to someone and you realise some of your clothes are older than they are.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
I have shoes older than my boss. Quality shoes mind you
Load More Replies... UpQuarkDownQuark (he/hey you) 2 years ago
The internet has changed everything between generations. Media is partially democratized, allowing you to find and watch or listen to anything from any time, but is also increasingly spoon fed by algorithms. For us we over-40s television was as the primary means of media consumption, and whether you were 10 or 80, Sam Donaldson or Walter Kronkite presented the news. There weren’t many channels, so you watched old shows from 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago. From 8pm to 10pm the same shows were on for everybody. This means I knew about old phones, old radio shows, old movies, old singers, and old technology and old cultural mores. It’s just not true anymore.
AndThenICommented 2 years ago (edited)
Nailed it. We didn’t grow up so segregated from our parents’ or even grandparents’ pop culture or technology. I realise now that my partner and I have been raising our kiddo in a more old school way in that we still watch tv together (whatever it is), we share tech in the house (even have a family computer), listen to music together, have family dinner, just generally more inter-generational sharing. I didn’t realise this was unusual until now.
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