It’s funny how the different generations think and live their daily lives. Boomers love to pick on millennials, while Gen-Zers are just trying to find their place in this world.
The truth is that times are changing. Some of the normalities of the life of a boomer are disappearing. Will we miss them? That remains to be seen. But, we need to get ready to say goodbye to these outdated ideas and practices that were once commonplace for the boomer generation.
1. Timeshares
Timeshares have gotten such a bad rap in the past 20 to 30 years that purchasing these lifetime death traps might become a thing of the past. Millennials can barely afford to buy their own home; how are they going to buy a timeshare? They are far more likely to buy a motorhome or van to use as their means of travel.
2. Workplace Loyalty
It seems like the days of staying loyal to a company for 30 years are going out the window. More and more millennials opt to change companies every few years rather than sticking to one company. Being flexible and open to change might become the new norm for the millennial workforce.
3. Actually Owning Products
With streaming services more readily available, owning items might become a thing of the past. Millennials choose streaming services for entertainment and music, unlike boomers, who bought and collected CDs, VHS tapes, and DVDs.
4. Suits in the Workplace
The need to dress in business attire has become less common in younger start-up companies. The younger generation has decided a suit and tie is uncomfortable and unnecessary to be a successful professional. A simple set of slacks and button-down shirts could be the next form of business attire in the coming years.
5. Basic Cable Services
Basic cable services have slowly disappeared since streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max have become more common. Still, boomers have been subscribing to the basic cable plan of the past due to convenience. Millennials and Gen-Zers who have grown up in the streaming age didn’t grow up with cable and likely won’t think twice about ditching the outdated plan.
6. Checkbooks
Boomers might become the last generation of checkwriters. Almost any bill can be paid paperlessly and through an app. Online bank checking can keep an accurate account balance down to the penny. No more frantically writing checks in the grocery store while the line backs up. I can imagine asking a Gen-Zer how to balance a checkbook would be an absolute foreign assignment.
7. Shopping Malls
Some of my fondest memories of my teenage years were hanging out at the mall. It’s sad to think that they might become a thing of the past. With services like Amazon, buying things online is much more convenient than going to the mall. A one-stop shop at a website might come to replace the act of roaming around the mall with your parents shopping for back-to-school clothes in the near future.
8. Movie Theaters
We have already started to see the slow disappearance of the once-loved movie theater. It started with the pandemic, but more and more movie-producing companies are releasing their films on streaming services. In addition to movies going directly to at-home streaming services, home entertainment systems are more affordable nowadays, leaving millennials to prefer staying at home rather than going to the theater.
9. Voicemails
The only people who have left me a voicemail in the last five years have been spam callers and my parents. I don’t even have a recorded voicemail message set up; that’s how little I use the service. Text messaging has become a more common mode of communication among the younger generation. Send me a text message, Dad! I promise I will see that way before I realize you left me a voicemail.
10. Holiday Cards
I remember during Christmas time, my parents’ refrigerator was covered in holiday cards. It was a way to keep in touch with family and friends. Now, with almost everyone on social media, we no longer need these holiday cards. The only Christmas cards I get are from my boomer aunts. Sadly, this holiday tradition might be coming to an end soon.
11. Cursive
I remember being told that learning this skill would be important one day. Well, I’m pushing 40, and I can’t remember a time when I had to write in cursive in the last 20 years. I barely write any notes on paper nowadays. Now, I wonder if it is still taught in schools because if it isn’t, we might be seeing the death of this ancient form of handwriting.
12. Using Cash
Credit and debit cards have become more convenient than withdrawing money from an ATM every week. I have even noticed smaller businesses opting for a cash-free service. With the transition to a more digital-aged society, could we see the use of cash for everyday purchases be a thing of the past? Only time will tell, but it looks like the days of walking around with large sums of cash on you could be no longer needed.
13. Printed Books
Printed books and magazines could also slowly fade away as the world prefers digital media. The younger generation is more inclined to favor the environment, and books that require large amounts of paper might be some of the products that are no longer wanted. Books can be instantly downloaded for much cheaper than hard copies. Going with this frame of mind, it seems like the bookshelf might also have a shelf life…
14. Fancy China Sets
Why did every family I know growing up in the 80s and 90s have a dinnerware set fancy enough for the Queen of England? I never once saw my parents make a cup of tea, but we had a tea set that no one was allowed to touch. Millennials could care less about that fancy stuff. If you open my cupboard, you will be lucky to find two matching coffee mugs. In my personal opinion, these fancy China sets will be sold off at an estate sale in the coming years, and we will never see or hear about them again.
15. Landline Phones
For all of you youngsters out there, your grandparent’s landline phone might end up in a museum one day! Before the popularization of cell phones, most homes had a singular landline. They were usually attached to the wall and provided zero privacy unless you had a 20-foot cord. You don’t see them much these days, but if you do, it might be a boomer’s last hope at hanging on to their generation.
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