Boomers & Gen X Have 8 Quiet Strengths That Usually Make Younger Generations Completely Underestimate Them
Darren Baker | Shutterstock Despite all the things young people may pick apart about their middle-aged counterparts, the grit and independence that have become hallmarks of the boomer and Gen X upbringing have yielded quiet strengths that younger generations underestimate.
Whether it’s their steadfast loyalty regardless of their personal feelings or their resilience in the face of a changing and divided society, boomers and Gen X have a fortitude that younger generations don't yet understand. It’s so easy to cling to stereotypes, but young people might be getting the generational gap all wrong when it comes to their elders.
Quiet boomers and Gen X strengths that younger generations underestimate because they don't yet understand their value:
1. They’re adaptable
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Even with new technology and changing social norms, baby boomers and Gen Xers, especially, understand how to roll with what comes. Not only are they socialized to make do with what they have and be resourceful, but they’re resilient by nature. They may have more traditional values and preferences, but that doesn’t mean they’re incapable of learning something new and shifting with the ways of the world.
In fact, so many have spent the last few decades doing exactly that, which is why Gen Xers and other middle-aged people are especially well known as the bridge between generations, especially at work. They grew up without smartphones and the internet but had to lean into the tech as young adults. They learned and adapted, and they continue to do so.
2. They don’t quit and complain
While this might not be true for every single individual in these generations, there’s no denying that they’re collectively more resilient than most young people today. They were raised to take pride in the struggle and to choose the more difficult road to cultivate grit.
Compared to today's convenience-focused culture, which teaches young kids to avoid struggling at all, these generations boast a quiet perseverance. Many even actively seek out challenges and discomfort for the sake of personal growth, putting themselves ahead of Gen Zers and millennials who don't understand how to find joy even when things are hard.
3. They don’t need external validation
While it’s unfortunate that many older generations were raised with stigma around mental health, a great deal of which still negatively affects them today, it might’ve taught them an important lesson. Instead of seeking reassurance and validation for their emotions and struggles from others, they had to do things privately.
They didn’t have the opportunities Gen Zers do today to ask for help and express their emotions vulnerably. It's a double-edged sword in many ways because they might struggle to express themselves, but they have an inner confidence that is directly linked to the independence and risk-taking they were afforded in childhood. Even when they don't know how to solve a problem, boomers and Gen Xers will always be able to figure it out. It's something the helicopter and gentle parenting of millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha has made obsolete.
4. They have practiced common sense
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Common sense isn’t a generational talent, but a boomer’s upbringing, compared to a Gen Z’s, could arguably explain why mature people have a more developed level of this lived intelligence.
Considering common sense is usually developed over time and through experience, whether that’s in social situations or simply dealing with hardship, more coddled young people are at a disadvantage.
Yes, they have the world at their fingertips and a whole sea of intellectual traits, but sometimes basic skills like making a phone call without becoming anxious or simply dealing with the fact that life is often not fair seem to incapacitate younger generations in ways that older generations handle with ease.
5. They can balance many roles
Especially for Gen Xers, who are often described as the sandwich generation because of their caregiving responsibilities for both aging parents and adult children, managing many roles is the norm. Between the workplace, personal relationships, families, and social spaces, they’re used to having many people relying on them.
This is part of where their grit comes from. They don’t easily give up, and their strong sense of loyalty encourages them to show up for people, even when they’re drained and exhausted. In a world where nobody wants to inconvenience themselves, it’s a quiet superpower to be able to successfully balance so many different roles.
6. They’re actively connected socially
Naturally, older generations tend to report happier, healthier social relationships than younger ones, at least according to a study from the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. However, especially when it comes to the gap between boomers and Gen Z, the reason why is somewhat obvious.
Not only are younger people today increasingly isolated and disconnected from face-to-face interactions, but they’re also losing access to community spaces like libraries and coffee shops that foster such interactions. The more we stay home out of convenience, the worse the situation gets.
Yes, they have their phones and digital communication at their fingertips, but they greatly underestimate the benefit of simply practicing and leaning into conversations they’d normally avoid, as their older peers did early on.
7. They can wait
It sounds so simple, but the ability to wait and appreciate delayed gratification is something so many young people can’t do today. Whether they’re overspending on convenience or driven by the dopamine hit they get from the instant gratification of short-form content, they can’t appreciate how much they could learn about themselves by sitting with their own thoughts for even a few moments. It's how imagination and creativity are born, but it's slowly being replaced by algorithms and technology.
Many young people tend to underestimate just how advantaged older generations are because they’re not completely reliant on their phones for comfort.
8. They can appreciate a simple life
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Many Gen Zers are being socialized into materialistic, maximalist lifestyles, placing greater emphasis on being unique in society than on being truly authentic. Whether it’s buying home decor or dressing themselves, they tend to get wrapped up in consumption and in how it's perceived by their peers.
Yes, these things can bring meaning in their own way, but so can a simple lifestyle. In fact, it’s an underrated, underestimated superpower to appreciate the simple things in life. In fact, research shared by the University of Otago suggests that a simple life may even be a much happier one.
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
