Boomers are often regarded as being responsible for ruining what was once a well-functioning society. However, we don’t quite agree with this assessment, because there are plenty of positive traits that boomers have, and here is a list of them.
Status: Unavailable
In today’s busy world, employers expect you to be available for communication 24/7. Some people also expect others to jump at every call, message and notification as soon as it’s sent. However, something that boomers still do right is having periods of time where they are not expected to be available for communication. It’s called mental health, private time, and being able to shut down after a long day of work without having to respond to anybody during your down time.
“I disable every notification, tone, and noise my phone can make, just so I can feel like I’m responding on MY time”.
Not Caring About Read Messages Going Unanswered
Something that boomers still get right is not paying attention to whether or not people have read their messages. Most phones of course tell you when someone has read your message but has not yet responded. Many boomers out there simply don’t care about this, because it is up to the discretion of whoever received the message to read and respond to it.
“I feel like we as a society need to move away from the “read” notice on text messages.”
Not Doing What Others Want Them to Do
Something boomers still seem to get right is they do what they want, when they want, and not what other people want them to do. This is not something that most of the younger generation today are familiar with because they tend to follow their friends’ interests for the sake of being social.
“I (a boomer) recently read a survey asking old people on their deathbeds what was their biggest regret in life now that it was almost over. The vast majority said they regretted doing what others wanted them to do in life rather than what they wanted to do. This has always been one of the guiding principles in my life and I’d recommend it as about the best advice I can offer a young person.”
Being On Time
Something that the younger generation simply doesn’t do anymore is bother showing up on time. Most millennials would probably show up to their own funerals late if given the option. This is something that boomers simply don’t do. Boomers still have some sense of decorum and urgency, and they value people who are on time.
“All of my friends think that showing up an hour late to EVERYTHING is just peachy.”
Not Viewing Life Through Social Media
Social media has proven itself to be a snake in the grass, because it’s changing the way that we view people and life in general. This is something that boomers don’t seem to have to worry about, because whether they just don’t understand how to use social media or they don’t want to, they don’t view life through this terrible lens.
“a lot of how younger generations are viewed through a distorted lens of social media.”
Knowing How to DIY and Do Basic Repairs
If you ask a boomer to fix a hinge on a door or repair the toilet, chances are pretty big that they’ll know how to do it. This is unfortunately not something that we can say for the younger generations. In most cases, younger folks would most likely call a trained professional to fix even the simplest of issues.
One reader mentioned that the boomer way of learning small repairs is still the right way to go: “None of these have been made difficult due to planned obsolescence or specialized tools. Fixing a broken cabinet hinge, making dinner, making and installing shelves — these are all done pretty much the same way they’ve always been done. If anything, advances have made them easier (having an electric screwdriver makes things so much more convenient than screwdriving everything by hand).”
Building Things that Last
When boomers were still in charge of building the goods that we use in our everyday lives, those goods were built to last. A refrigerator was built like a steel box that could survive a nuclear explosion. However, everything is now built with planned obsolescence in mind, which means that items are built specifically to break after a certain amount of time. How pathetic!
“Hard to do DIY repairs when many of the moving parts in your life are designed to break in a way to make the manufacturer more money.”
Understanding Home Maintenance
The simple reality is that 30 years ago, people learned a lot more about home ownership and basic life skills than they do now. What we mean to say is that boomers had a lot more relevant skills, especially when it came to things around the house, such as basic repairs and dealing with the issues that arise when one owns a house.
“Yep, you learn a lot about a furnace the first time it doesn’t kick on in the winter and you realize you’re now the landlord.”
“It Takes a Village” Parenting
This basically means that everybody’s parents parented everybody. If there was a group of children playing outdoors, a single parent could come along and discipline all of them no matter who they belong to. This is certainly not the case anymore. If somebody touches somebody else’s child in today’s day and age, the police will be called immediately. This is likely in part to blame for the lack of discipline that children have today. Quite simply, nobody is allowed to discipline anybody’s children anymore.
“I was raised by boomers. All my childhood friends were raised by boomers. At least among that group, free-range parenting was just normal.”
Giving Kids Time to Play Outside
Back in the day, kids wouldn’t come home from school until after dinner time, or even until it was dark outside. Parents would let their kids go outside and do more or less whatever they wanted as long as they were being reasonable and showed up at home before dinner or before dark. Now, it seems as though there are more helicopter parents, which is interesting because those same kids aren’t any better behaved than they were 30 years ago.
“We’d just disappear into the neighborhood, woods, whatever for hours and no one raised a fuss As long as you were back for dinner.”
Being Independent
By not being independent, we are talking specifically about younger generations who feel the need to ask for assistance with every single little thing, for example not being able to find items in grocery stores. Boomers on the other hand would go on a quest to find that one missing item without ever asking for help.
“I don’t ask because it becomes a quest. Huzzah!”
Voting
Oh yes, the times when people still actually cared about our political situation and the future of the country. It seems that actually voting for good leaders ended with boomers.
“Voting. My entire family from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and so on vote. In every single election.”
His Brother Was Shocked When He Kicked Him Out Because He Wasn’t Satisfied With Living Rent Free in Exchange for Help with Home Renos and Wanted Compensation and Now He’s Begging to Come Back
It’s always nice to hear about siblings helping each other out in their time of need. It’s even better if arrangements can be made where both parties benefit. But often times things can go wrong, just like they did for these brothers.
Here’s Why Gen X Thinks They are Completely Overlooked Compared to Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z
There’s always so much talk about the Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z, why do we rarely hear about Generation X? Gen X was born between 1961 and 1981. The following are some reasons why people and Gen X in particular think Gen X is often overlooked today.
Here’s Why Gen X Thinks They are Completely Overlooked Compared to Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z
She Excuses Herself Whenever a Friend Brings Their Kids to a Ladies Night Out and Now Some Friends Are Angry Because They See the Pattern
The original poster (OP) is part of a group of seven women who met in university and continue to keep in touch. Scheduling get togethers is usually challenging, especially when many of them have children. But even when they do get together as a group, OP has one hang up that she can’t get past.
The Comforting Family Meals Boomers Grew Up Eating
In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, traditional family meals were typically made with simple ingredients but would still vary from classic to creative. The following are examples of traditional meals that families would share when Boomers were growing up. Many of the meals are still popular today but the recipes may have a more modern twist.
The Comforting Family Meals Boomers Grew Up Eating
Recalling the Moments When Outrage Over a Celebrity Was Way Overblown
Celebrities are always in the public eye, so the things they do and say can be scrutinized. Sometimes its warranted and sometimes is a gross over reaction. The following is a list of instances of overblown outrage about a celebrity.
Recalling the Moments When Outrage Over a Celebrity Was Way Overblown