Boomers & Gen X Refuse To Accept 7 Modern Texting Habits That Gen Z Thinks Are Polite
Kampus Production | Pexels Texting isn't something that older generations grew up with, so changes in the way young people text can feel annoying.
They don't interact the same way Gen Zers do. But because it's the main way this generation communicates with each other, their texting lingo has evolved to a point where boomers and Gen Xers refuse to accept it. Because while Gen Z sees these habits as polite, older folks find it irritating.
The texting habits boomers and Gen X usually refuse to accept that Gen Z sees as polite:
1. Using abbreviations for random phrases
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Millennials were the first generation to start using abbreviations in their text messages. It was hard to type on a flip phone, so they developed shorthand to get their point across. Gen Zers took that idea and ran with it.
Everyone has either sent or received an abbreviated sentence in messages. There are the common ones like "LOL" or "BRB" that older generations mostly understand but probably still don't like.
They think these abbreviations are kind of rude and makes a text less formal. They think it's just as easy to send a full sentence, and that doing so shows another person that you put effort into crafting that message.
If someone from a younger generation texts them "OTP" or "WYDM," they won't understand. While Gen Zers find it polite to abbreviate, boomers and Gen Xers find it rude that they'll have to actually look up what it means before they can respond.
2. Incorrect or no punctuation
For most Gen Zers, a period at the end of a sentence in a text message isn't a good sign. It usually means someone's mad.
It can be hard to tell what someone actually means in a text because you can't hear their tone. Gen Zers have figured out a way to get around this. Putting a period at the end of a sentence is the way texters reflect that they're being passive-aggressive. Because of that, they consider it polite to avoid adding a period.
Boomers and Gen X look at it differently. They were raised to be grammatically correct when they write. They don't have a hard line between how you should write a letter and how you should type a text. So, they think it's lazy to use improper grammar.
They also may assume the person not using punctuation isn't really smart. And they refuse to make themselves look that way.
3. Sending emojis as full responses to texts
Emojis are another way Gen Z conveys their tone in a text. They also use emojis as a message itself. But if a Gen Zer sends a bunch of emojis to someone a bit older, they'll probably roll their eyes because they don't see emojis the same way.
As a 2025 study pointed out, older generations take emojis at face value instead of interpreting what they mean. They also think there's a specific time you're supposed to use emojis.
They see them as pretty informal, so they get annoyed if someone sends them one. But it's not Gen Z's way of being disrespectful. They're just trying to add emphasis with the emoji.
4. Using only lowercase letters instead of normal capitalizations
Gen Z doesn't use uppercase letters in every text they send. They prefer using lowercase letters because they think they'll sound too formal if they don't. They'll use lowercase when they're trying to talk casually and be friendly. It makes the text feel more like a conversation than a written note.
"Capital letters can feel stern or abrupt. Lowercase writing is a way to reject the authority and rigidity associated with traditional grammar. It fosters an atmosphere of inclusivity and emotional connection," Caitlin Jardine, a social media manager at marketing agency Ellis Digital, revealed.
On the other hand, older generations find lowercase quite rude. They tend to look at texting like writing a letter. They think punctuation is important because that's what people do when they write something by hand.
5. Creating group chats for pretty much everything
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It seems so difficult for some people to figure out a plan without using a group chat. But boomers and Gen Xers are used to making plans or communicating with a group without needing a group chat, so it makes them annoyed when they're put into one.
Gen Zers like to use them to efficiently make a plan and keep up with their friends. It's faster than forcing everyone to meet up and make a decision together. But older generations find it irritating and rude to constantly have messages blowing up their phone.
Group chats can be really distracting because there are so many people texting at once. It makes older people feel like they can never turn their social life off and get a minute to themselves.
Since Gen Z is more accustomed to that kind of communication, they see it as polite. Even if they think a group chat can get annoying, it's still a better option to include everyone and figure out a plan quickly.
6. Responding immediately almost all the time
Boomers and Gen Xers think it's rude to be on your phone when you're in certain situations. If someone pulls out their phone in the middle of a nice dinner, someone from an older generation will get frustrated. They think it's important to show respect to the people you're with by prioritizing them over a phone.
But if a person wasn't responding because they're doing something else, Gen Zers would get annoyed. They prefer quick replies to their messages because it shows that whoever they're texting cares about listening to them.
Some people in Gen Z even think a friend is being neglectful if they don't frequently respond to their texts.
7. Texting over calling
Boomers and Gen Xers typically prefer somebody calling them over texting them. They grew up using a phone to call their friends and family, and it was pretty much the only way to connect.
They think of calls as a quick and efficient way to get a message across. They don't want to wait for someone to respond to them. Whatever they need to talk about, they want to do it quickly.
But Gen Zers text, they don't call. Many are even very scared to answer or make a phone call themselves. They're more accustomed to communicating online, so speaking out loud on a phone call makes them anxious.
While older folks much prefer a phone call to a text, Gen Zers hate it because they won't have the time to edit their words like they would otherwise.
Lily Bell is a writer studying English and Publications who covers relationships, mental health, and personal narratives surrounding the human experience.
