10 Things People Raised In The 60s & 70s Do That Make The Rest Of Us Look Soft
Jean Papillon via Pexels Many of the childhood experiences shared by Gen X and baby boomers are nothing short of controversial in a modern world defined by comfort and convenience.
While many of the situations faced by people raised in the 60s and 70s left them with a degree of trauma, they also led them to develop skills and habits that make the rest of us look soft today. Now ranging in age from 46 to 80, this tough group of people has had enough life experience to know not only what is and is not worth expending their precious time and energy on, but what to push themselves hardest to work through for their own best interests.
Here are 10 things people raised in the 60s and 70s do that make the rest of us look soft
1. Refusing to outsource their physical labor at home
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Whether it’s landscaping, lawn care, car repairs, or other home improvement projects, Gen Xers and boomers often have a DIY mentality. While younger people are more likely to outsource immediately, even for the most basic tasks, like changing their oil or replacing a flat tire, older generations have a work ethic that demands hands-on experience.
Especially for Gen Zers who can hardly manage the bare minimum repairs with YouTube tutorials, the seemingly random carpentry skills and landcare knowledge older generations pull out of nowhere can come as a complete shock.
2. Choosing to drive on vacations
Why fly for two hours when you could just drive nine instead? Gen Xers and boomers are notorious for taking what seems like the less convenient approach, especially if it saves them money. However, because it was often their primary vacation option as kids, there may also be some nostalgia involved.
Despite what modern society tells us, not everything needs to be about getting there as fast as possible or choosing the most efficient way. Sometimes, slowing down, appreciating the journey, and spending time with the people we love is worth the inconvenience of a long car ride.
3. Sitting in silence for hours
In our brain-rot-fueled era, when young people rarely allow themselves to be bored or silent, it’s not surprising that mental health issues and weakened attention spans are growing more prevalent. We need space to reset our brains and regulate our nervous systems, and sometimes, that means staying quiet with no distractions or stimulation.
While there’s a happy medium we could all find between Gen Z and their older counterparts in this regard, it’s hardcore that many Gen Xers and boomers can sit in silence for hours. They may go for long walks without headphones or spend their evenings without looking at their phone or TV. Especially in the modern world, this comfort with staying present is truly a superpower.
4. Going to work when they’re sick
Gen Z is pioneering a range of culture shifts in the workplace, and one of the most widespread is their heightened use of paid time off and sick leave. Not only do they actually stay home when they’re sick, but they’re also more likely to call in sick when they need a break or feel too exhausted to come to the office.
Gen X and boomers, raised with an intense work ethic and a sense of loyalty to their companies, take far less time off. They usually make themselves work even when they’re sick, trying to push through their symptoms for the sake of productivity and efficiency.
5. Leaving the house to do their errands
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It might feel silly to consider running errands a hardcore practice, but in comparison to young people’s reliance on convenient delivery services, it actually is. When they run out of an ingredient, people raised in the 60s and 70s simply get in their car and drive to the store to purchase it.
Gen Zers and millennials are much more likely to pull out their phone and have it delivered, even if that means paying double. This culture of convenience makes Gen X and boomers seem old-fashioned, but in many ways, their ability to handle minor inconveniences and discomfort just makes everyone else look soft.
6. Sticking to their normal routine during extreme weather
Most of us have watched a Gen X parent tend to the garden during a heat wave or a baby boomer grandparent head out for groceries in the middle of a thunderstorm. They continue to exist as if nothing is happening, and usually don’t get particularly stressed about natural disasters and weather emergencies. Compared to Gen Z, whose mindset about climate change leaves them with a great deal of anxiety about the weather, these older generations look tough as nails.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, this isn’t random. As people get older, they tend to develop less anxiety and depressive symptoms around extreme weather than their younger counterparts, largely because of their life experience literally weathering the storms.
7. Putting their phone down for an entire day
Most young people are completely dependent on their phones. Whether they're ordering food, connecting with people, looking up answers to their questions, or getting directions, they feel anxious when they don’t have their phones.
When a Gen X person forgets their phone at home and feels completely fine, it makes the rest of us look soft. And of course, we're envious of boomers who can spend an entire evening without so much as turning on their TV or taking a quick glance at their phone.
8. They get the job done
Gen Z is often deemed the least resilient workers in the workforce, largely because of their mental health struggles and what they perceive as a lack of support. While mental health issues can affect anyone at any age, growing up in a space where they played outside and didn't need constant stimulation protected many people in older generations from the anxiety young people face.
Regardless of what they’re going through, they’ve been taught from a young age to finish the job. They didn’t have much space to complain or make their emotions the center of conversations. They had to finish what they started, or they faced consequences, rather than grace.
9. They inconvenience themselves for the sake of others
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As a study published in Frontiers in Psychology explains, relationships thrive when people feel supported by their partner. Even in friendships and with family members, showing up for others truly matters, even if it means inconveniencing yourself. While young people use boundaries and expectations of constant ease as excuses to cancel plans or not support a loved one, they’re more isolated and lonely because of their collective lack of effort.
Of course, relationships shouldn’t feel like work the majority of the time, but that doesn’t mean that investing in them will always be easy. Older generations know that better than anyone. They’re well-connected because they developed social skills before cell phones and social media, and because they knew how to invest in relationships before it became popular to prioritize yourself above anyone else.
10. They normalize burnout
While older generations may not romanticize burnout the way young people do when they are working hard for attention, Gen X and boomers are known for normalizing exhaustion and overwork. Their work ethic comes from a childhood when they were expected to take care of themselves and figure things out without much support or grace.
At work, boomers are much more likely to work longer hours. In their personal lives, Gen X is the most stressed generation of them all. While work ethic and resilience are great, these aren’t necessarily statistics to brag about.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
