9 Things Boomers Find Totally Unappealing About The Daily Lives Of Gen Z
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock Every generation develops its own ways of navigating the world. What feels completely normal or even natural to one generation may seem completely confusing to another.
As society continues to evolve, differences between generations become more noticeable than ever. There's no doubt that the generation of baby boomers experienced life in a drastically different way compared to the average Gen Z person today. Born in the decades following WWII, boomers grew up with the earliest versions of technology, though it didn't have much of a presence in their daily lives. Gen Z, on the other hand, has been shaped by the rapidly changing digital world, especially by social media. While neither perspective is inherently right or wrong, these differences often lead to misunderstanding between generations. As a result, there are many aspects of Gen Z's daily life that boomers just can't seem to appreciate or relate to.
Boomers find several specific things about the daily lives of Gen Z completely unappealing
1. Constant reliance on cellphones
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Unlike Boomers, Gen-Z grew up with relatively modern technology, and as they matured, so did the methods of using it. Cellphones were, and probably will always be, a constant presence in the lives of Gen Z.
As a Gen Z myself, I know how much of my own daily life revolves around owning a phone. I socialize with friends and sometimes with people from all around the world. I scroll social media, window shop online, and consume various forms of entertainment and media. I can't even imagine my life without my phone, and it's because I or my fellow Gen Z are dependent on our phones, but rather, it's all that we know. We're a product of our environment, and a large part of our environment growing up was the use of cellphones.
All of these factors are confusing for boomers who don't understand how younger generations can be so reliant on something their generation didn't need to get by. Despite this, a study found that older generations are adopting the use of modern technology, including cellphones. In recent years, owning a phone and using social media has grown between 20%-50% among boomers. So while Gen Z may be reliant on their phones, Boomers aren't too far off.
2. Using cellphones to communicate
Given how technology has evolved over the years, our methods of communication have become not only quicker, but more efficient and convenient as well. Gen Z has embraced this fact, while boomers struggle to keep up with it.
I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of young people having to teach or explain to their grandparents how to send a text message or how to answer a phone call. In their day, boomers often valued face-to-face communication, and if that wasn't possible, they'd send messages through mail or leave messages on an answering machine, methods they were familiar with using.
But now, boomers have to conform with the times so as to not be left behind. They find using cellphones to communicate unappealing because they're unsure of how to even use them and because it goes against their belief on the importance of in-person connection and communication.
3. Sharing so much of your life online
Boomers grew up with the idea that personal matters must be kept private. Whether for safety or personal reasons, boomers don't see the appeal of sharing their lives online. Gen Z, however, generally enjoy sharing their daily lives with friends, family, and even complete strangers on the internet.
The rise of social media is mostly to thank (or to blame) for this. In my experience, I enjoy sharing what's going on in my life because it allows me to take agency over how I express and define myself to others. I mean, how else would people be able to perceive my aesthetic if not for my carefully curated Instagram page?
Gen Z tends to hold a lot of value in being able to document and share moments of their lives with others, the good and the bad. To boomers, this can feel excessive. They struggle to understand why so many moments are shared publicly instead of enjoyed privately because they wouldn't do that personally.
4. Job-hopping frequently
Unlike previous generations that often stayed with one employer for many years, Gen Z is more willing to change jobs in pursuit of better opportunities, an ideology that Boomers find very unappealing.
Boomers were taught that loyalty to the workplace would get you far. They view Gen-Z's willingness to hop from one job to the next as a lack of loyalty, even though younger workers often see it as a practical career strategy. The way I see it, if a job isn't serving me anymore of if I've learned all that I could from it, moving on is the best way to continue growing and learning. While boomers see it as a sentence for failure, Gen Z sees it as an opportunity for success.
5. Prioritizing work-life balance
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"Live to work" vs "work to live" is one way in which boomers and Gen-Z couldn't be more different. Similar to the previous point, boomers grew up with the idea that hard work and long hours were necessary for success, and unlike most Gen Z, they are complete workaholics.
Boomers find it difficult to relate to Gen Z's emphasis on boundaries and personal time when it comes to the workplace because they could never imagine approaching it with such a mindset. Gen Z prioritizes work-life balance more than ever because of the rise of mental health awareness.
Young people aren't willing to sacrifice their mental stability for a job that could, and likely would, replace them at the snap of a finger. Now, Gen Z works so that they can live life to the fullest, something that boomers may want to experience too, but still find unappealing due to their upbringing.
6. Dependence on technology for everyday tasks
With the constant presence of technology in my daily life as a Gen Z, I often find myself wondering what life was like before it all. To a boomer, this proposition might seem ridiculous, and is another reason why they may find the daily lives of Gen Z to be so unappealing.
Whether it's using GPS for directions, apps for writing down errands, alarms to wake up on time, or even readily accessible answers for quick questions, technology is used by Gen Z for simple, everyday tasks. Boomers may view this dependence as the inability to be self-sufficient, but to Gen-Z, it's just the normal way of life. Today, there is virtually no way to avoid using technology, so instead of pushing it away, Gen Z uses it to their utmost advantage, allowing for their daily lives run more smoothly.
7. Seeking validation through social media
With the rise in popularity of apps like TikTok and Instagram, online engagement became king. Likes, comments, follows, views, and shares all deeply matter to Gen Z and gives us a sense of validation that what we put out is appealing to others, though, not to Boomers.
Although many Boomers do use social media now, they don't see the appeal of online engagement. They don't care if their Facebook posts got enough likes from their friends and family. They don't pay attention to the fact that they didn't receive any positive comments on something they were proud to share with others. They simply just don't think the way Gen Z does when it comes to online validation, not seeking or even expecting it at all. They see it as superficial and concerning that digital approval can have such an impact on the younger generation.
8. Casual attitudes toward traditional milestones
Boomers tend to embrace tradition, the "American Dream," even if it's outdated. They hold this belief that you should do everything when you're young: get married, have kids, buy a house, enter a long-term career—but for Gen Z, attitudes towards these milestones are casual, and if anything, nonexistent.
Young people today don't have the luxury of being able to settle down early, and even if we did, most of us would choose not to. In fact, most of Gen Z aren't even thinking of these milestones because they seem like distant futures, we willingly delay it. Most of us understand the importance of financial stability and mental health before reaching these milestones, so we prioritize the now instead of the later. This mindset can be unappealing to boomers because to them, reaching these milestones is the purpose of life.
9. Embracing rapid cultural and social change
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Gen Z might be one of the most open-minded generations to have ever existed. This is because we grew up in a world where information spread instantly, exposing us to new cultures, perspectives, and social issues on a daily basis. Boomers, on the other hand, are a lot less tolerant of change, and find this aspect of Gen Z life to be unappealing.
Gen Z views adaptability as an important skill and sees progress as something that is required for society to evolve. But where Gen Z sees progress, boomers see rejection. Boomers find this sort of change unappealing because they have never been exposed to it at such a degree before.
They spent majority of their lives with a different set of social expectations and cultural standards, and with how rapid attitudes and values change today, it's hard for them to accept innovation.
Yessenia Munoz is a writer pursuing a Bachelors of Arts degree in English Literature and writes about lifestyle topics.
