The generation born between 1946 and 1964, more familiarly known as Boomers, suffers under unfair labels. The critiques rarely take into account the economic headwinds they endured and the diversity among them.
For example, 90% of U.S. adults report owning a smartphone, and 80% have high-speed home internet, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Still, many people assume Boomers are tech-clueless. Meanwhile, the housing supply growth slowed dramatically after 1980, according to the Brookings Institution.
Yet, some blame individual Boomers for today’s affordability crisis. Boomers lived through stagflation, high interest rates, and a volatile job market early on—but the stereotype that they had it “easy” glosses over those challenges. The following list presents 12 common criticisms of the Boomer generation.
“Boomers ruined the housing market.”
It is easy to blame your neighbour’s generation when house prices balloon, but the roots of housing unaffordability go far deeper. The Brookings Institution reports that growth in the housing stock slowed sharply after 1980: by the 2010s, annual growth was down to 0.6 %.
Scholarship points to a leading role for zoning laws, investor activity, and land-use policy. Blaming individual Boomers ignores how structural changes in policy and finance shaped the market over decades.
“They’re tech‐illiterate.”
Yes, the person who still uses a flip-phone can be a Boomer—but many Boomers embraced technology. In a 2024 survey, the Pew Research Center found that roughly 90% of U.S. adults have smartphones and 80% have high-speed home internet.
Tech adoption for older adults has jumped significantly over the past decade. To paint an entire generation as “behind the times” disregards the real progress made and the gap that’s closing.
“They had it easy financially.”
On the surface, the post-war boom looks good, but the economy the Boomers actually entered was rocky. Inflation hit double digits in the 1970s, interest rates spiked, and the job market shifted. While the younger generation does have its own challenges, the idea that all Boomers cruised through oversimplifies the truth.
Wealth studies by the Fed and Brookings show that, for generational comparisons, timing, policy, and broader context must be taken into account.
“They’re all conservative.”
Some Boomers are solidly conservative—but many are not. In the Pew Research fact sheet on party affiliation, U.S. adults identify as Republican/lean Republican about 46% and as Democrat/lean Democrat about 45% overall.
Further analysis suggests that older Americans, including Boomers, are more likely to lean Republican. Still, the split within the generation varies by age and region. Sweeping statements like “Boomers are all red” ignore that nuance.
“They don’t care about climate change.”
The assertion that Boomers ignored the environment does not align with the historical record. The first Earth Day in 1970, when most Boomers were young adults, mobilized an estimated 20 million Americans.
Big environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, followed. So, to imply the whole generation is environmentally oblivious misses their role in early activism.
“They’re bad parents.”
Parenting has changed, but many Boomer-aged parents were raising families while balancing two incomes, older children, and rising living costs.
Psychological research indicates that the era saw changes in childcare, early childhood education, and family composition. Criticising an entire generation as being bad parents ignores the social supports, work demands, and cultural norms they followed.
“They hoard jobs and won’t retire.”
Yes, some Boomers delay retirement—but often for reasons of financial necessity, not just because they want to. According to AARP, many Boomers cite insufficient retirement savings and a need to work longer. That context matters before blame is laid at the feet of generational greed.
“They’re resistant to change.”
People like to caricature Boomers as stuck in the past, but consider this: they lived through the shift from analogue to digital, from typewriters to smartphones, from vinyl records to streaming.
Pew research describes Boomers as a “bridge generation” between the analog and digital eras. That suggests they’ve lived through more change than some people assume.
“They’re all rich.”
The wealth distribution among Boomers is highly unequal. Though some have significant assets, many face substantial debt, medical costs, and retirement-related uncertainty.
Federal Reserve data show that a substantial percentage of Boomers have less than $100,000 saved for retirement. Blanket statements such as “they’re all affluent” mask the intra-generational inequality.
“They don’t understand younger generations.”
Generalizing that Boomers are clueless about younger folks overlooks the many who mentor, care for grand-kids, teach, or volunteer in youth programs. Research from Brookings noted Boomers play key roles in inter-generational support networks. The claim erases complex interactions across age groups.
“They’re responsible for all societal problems.”
That may be satisfying, but no generation is responsible for everything. Sociologists emphasize the role of systemic factors such as policy, globalization, technology, and culture, which change gradually over decades. To place all social problems at the feet of Boomers misses this big picture.
“They’re culturally irrelevant.”
Boomers had a significant influence on music, film, and literature—think rock, punk, and blockbuster cinema. And they continue to consume culture: media giants like Nielsen report that older generations remain active in entertainment markets. To suggest the generation is irrelevant overlooks their cultural footprint and ongoing influence.
Key take-away
Boomers get a lot of blame, but much of it fails to account for context. Housing crises, tech adoption, parenting, politics, and cultural relevance all involve very complex, multi- and trans-generational forces at play.
Research shows that Boomers protested, adopted technology, navigated fluctuating economies, and created diverse life trajectories. Instead of pointing fingers, recognizing complexity clears up how generations interact—and how cooperation, not caricature, moves things forward.
Disclosure: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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