The youngest members of the Baby Boomer generation are swiftly approaching their 60s, and several of the once-iconic trends they championed have become unfamiliar to the younger generations. While they undeniably bestowed upon us the legacy of Rock and Roll and played a pivotal role in the rise of personal computers, certain celebrated trends from the post-World War II era are fading with the passage of time.
Certain old-school habits that were important for living just a few decades ago are quickly becoming irrelevant. People in an online forum discussed things that will become significantly less popular when the baby boomer generation is no longer around and as technology continually advances.
1. Writing Checks
Baby Boomers wrote checks for almost everything, and one online forum contributor reckons this rather annoying habit may die with their generation.
They share, “Writing a check in the grocery store or writing checks, period! I can’t believe in my town, we have to pay our property taxes by check because of the dinosaur who works there and the mayor, who is also a boomer.”
I think we owe Rex an apology for calling him a dinosaur.
2. Suits
The outfit; not the popular Legal Drama Show.
“Suits [at the workplace] have already become a thing of the past at many workstations, and the workstations that still mandate them, such as finance, will abolish suits once the baby boomers have gone.” A user says. Maybe?
3. Cable TV
With all the Live Streaming apps and software happening right now, kids in the not-so-distant future will ask, “Cable, what now?”
A user says, “Cable and streaming aren’t even in the same league. With cable, can you even watch what you want on demand? F*** any company making me watch content based on their network schedule.”
Some people are still pro-Cable TV, if only they’d up their game. One says, “Cable will be making a comeback if the streaming services keep up their sh***y practices. I’d switch back if it was an option where I live.”
4. China Dishware
Most Boomers’ homes have china dishware, sometimes enclosed in their special cabinet. Things that generations living in smaller spaces don’t have room or patience for.
“Someone says, “This! I have 2 sets in my basement from my grandmother and mom, plus the set they felt I HAD to have of my own! We don’t entertain, but I have place settings for over 36 people.”
5. Hands-on Personal Service
Since many people discovered remote working, self-service, and bots, one online form user says we may see the death of services that require people to assist in workplaces physically.
“We’re doing this now at the insurance company I work at. Ask your question to a bot, and it will try and answer it. If it cannot, it will point you to a contact method depending on the question.” Another user adds. “
Some millennials said they still prefer personal service to self-service (who doesn’t?).
6. Toxic Masculinity
Another user hopes that “Men having to hide their feeling and little boys being told to suck it up and be men” will phase out with older generations.
Stoicism is a train that has been lauded by the older generation, while more and more men are now more in touch with their feelings.
The thin line between “suck it up” and “feel free to show your emotions” is still blurry for many.
7. Voicemail
An online contributor notes that voicemail was popular because it was the only way to leave a message if you didn’t get the person you were calling. The younger generation today prefers texting anyway, and voice mail may soon be a thing of the past.
“The amount of voicemails I have to filter per day is too high in business. It’s all the older generations leaving the voice mails as well mixed in with the now plentiful amount of telemarketers calling you daily.” An online user says.
8. Perfect Front Lawns
A few younger generations seem fed up with the effort expected of them to keep a perfect lawn, especially with the usage of pesticides. Some are open to turning their lawns into vegetable gardens or pastures.
A clearly fed-up online conversation adds, “Oh, PLEASE, let the pesticide monoculture lawns die! This is the best answer yet!”
Another adds, “I have my lawn mowed, and it is ugly as hell. I refuse to constantly put down chemicals and then have to water it. No thanks. My older neighbors definitely have nice green lawns.”
Yet, some youngins seem to have inherited the itch for a perfect lawn.
9. Standing Cashiers
A job as a cashier requires you to have strong calves, as you’d be expected to stand for hours on end.
“Bruh, I worked as a bank teller many years ago, and the same thing [was happening]. We weren’t allowed to sit. My feet were killing me at the end of the day.” A user says.
Another adds, “That’s the truth. I used to work at a job standing in the same spot for 7 hours. Now I work 12-hour shifts but constantly moving, and my feet hurt way less moving for 12 hours than standing for 7.”
When the Boomer bosses are no longer bosses, cashiers can finally sit (hopefully).
10. Strip Clubs
Adult “content” was majorly found in strip clubs, but people in an online forum feel this might be out of fashion in the coming years.
A commenter says, “Strip Clubs disappear because people have p***, and to a lesser extent, millennials, Gen Z, and fifth-wave feminism is normalizing sexuality and s** work.”
11. Pension
The newer generation is moving from saving for retirement towards saving schemes and investing for various reasons other than pension.
A user shares, “My generation, late 1980’s, won’t have pensions. Our boomer parents had pensions to rely on. Thinking I’ll have a pension when I’m ready to retire is completely foreign to me. Companies aren’t offering pensions anymore from my generation.”
12. Ironing
Someone on an online discussion thinks keeping your clothes crease-free will one day be a gone venture.
It may be that people won’t be bothered by creases anymore, or we will discover new ways of keeping clothes straight.
Many people have already ditched ironing.
13. Answering Random Phone Calls
Younger generations don’t generally answer phone calls they aren’t expecting. For Boomers, this isn’t the case. Someone writes, “Hopefully, it’ll become unprofitable to make spam calls once there aren’t enough people willing to answer random numbers.”
14. Old Family Role Cliches
We’ve come a long way in equal rights for men and women. Yet, one woman shares that some beliefs are still deeply instilled in the older generations from their upbringing and TV propaganda.
She says, “Hopefully, the sitcom cliche that the dad is [lazy], whilst the wife takes care of everything, everyone laughs at him despite him being the sole breadwinner for the family. Family dynamics have changed so much over the years that this just does not fly in any way shape or form these days.”
16. Random Phone Calls
Older generations like to call out of the blue and check in on people. Someone writes, “It’s too intimate for the texting generation which is soo weird. I’m guilty of it too btw but I realize how silly it is.”
17. Applebees
Some Boomers flock to Applebees, but why? Their food is mediocre at best, and the atmosphere is lame. This restaurant is likely going to phase out in the next few decades.
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JayDee Vykoukal is a writer, author, mom, and Doctor of Physical Therapy. She has been writing about everything motherhood and health-related since 2018 when her first daughter was born, and she wanted to stay home. She loves to research new topics and fun facts with her kids to teach them about the world.
