That conversation that you had with your parents last week about why you are still renting instead of buying a house? Or when they wanted to know why you were “job-hopping” after you’ve changed firms three times in the past five years? That’s the generational divide showing up right there. The shift is so dramatic that while Boomers control about 72% of U.S. wealth according to the Federal Reserve, younger generations are essentially writing a whole new playbook for how to live.
Social media, shifting economic dynamics, and evolving workplace norms have made plenty of those Boomer “truths” punchlines young people can’t resist roasting.
Remaining With One Company for Your Whole Working Life
Your grandfather spent 40 years working at the same factory, dedicating himself to a single job and earning a shiny gold watch upon retirement, a true icon of loyalty. Today, that kind of commitment often goes uncelebrated, dismissed as outdated as a participation trophy.
Modern young professionals approach their careers more like a game of Pokémon Go, chasing opportunities to “catch them all” while leveling up their skills and salaries. The idea of sitting at the same desk for four decades feels less like stability and more like a life sentence.
Buying a House Before Age 30
“Just save money and buy a starter home!” sounds utterly charming from somebody who purchased their three-bedroom house for $30,000 back in 1975. In Q1 2025, the median sales price of houses sold was $416,900, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Millennials and Gen Z have turned the challenges of homeownership into a source of humor, transforming the dream of owning a house into meme-worthy material. They often joke that they’re more committed to their student loans than to a partner or the idyllic vision of a white picket fence.
Landline Phones as Essential Communication
The melodic chime of a landline phone has become a relic of a bygone era, a sound preserved in the museum of memories. Today, landlines are mostly found in the homes of older adults, while Gen Z sees them as obsolete artifacts.
The idea of a phone tethered to a wall, incapable of texting, feels utterly foreign to them. The once-common ritual of stretching a coiled cord into another room for a shred of privacy now seems like a scene straight out of a history book.
Business Attire Dress Codes and Power Suits
The power suit quietly faded into obscurity somewhere between the first Zoom call and the moment you realized no one could see your pajama pants. By 2023, only 32% of companies still enforce business formal dress codes—down from over 60% in the 1990s, according to the HireNest blog, citing data from a Society for Human Resource Management survey.
For young professionals, the old “dress for success” mantra feels more like a costume party theme than a productivity rule. After all, why squeeze into stiff suits when a hoodie lets you perform at your best?
Automatic Respect for Authority Figures
The days of the “because I said so” approach to authority are long gone, especially in an era where information is instantly accessible to everyone. Young people can fact-check claims in real-time and no longer grant respect solely based on titles or hierarchy.
They seek logical reasoning and evidence, not just the weight of authority. With social media democratizing information, even a teenager with a smartphone can debunk a politician’s statement in mere seconds.
Reading Physical Newspapers Every Morning
Spread over a kitchen table, the whole paper splayed out like a rich person’s treasure map. That’s practically archaeological behavior now. According to US Newspaper Industry Statistics, the average weekday newspaper circulation was 24.3 million, down from 63.2 million in 1990.
“Waiting until tomorrow to find out is too damn slow,” goes the now extinct slogan, because news now breaks at a pace of a few minutes on social media. Young people joke about “reading yesterday’s news tomorrow” because by the time it goes to print, they’ve seen seventeen different takes on the story, plus memes about it.
Getting Married Before Age 25
The entire script for that first “find your high school sweetheart and settle down timeline” has been rewritten. Young adults approach early marriage the way they would a very high-cost impulse buy.
Why jump into it while discovering who you are? The notion of being married with kids by 25 seems laughable when you’re in debt from student loans, trying to establish your career, and figure out who you are as a person.
Formal Dining and Good China
The once-coveted formal dining room is quickly becoming a thing of the past. These spaces, once considered essential, are now being reimagined as home offices, game rooms, or yoga studios. According to the National Association of Home Builders, only 35% of new homes built in 2023 included a formal dining room, a significant drop from 70% in the 1990s.
For younger homeowners, dedicating an entire room solely for eating feels outdated when that space could be used for something more practical, exciting, or joyful in their daily lives.
Brand Loyalty as a Virtue
Sticking with the same brands for many years was once considered innovative and a sign of reliability. Still, now it appears to everyone else that you’re simply overlooking better options.
The days when you would buy Ford because your dad bought Ford are gone. For young consumers, brand loyalty is a subscription that can be canceled at any time if the brand does something they don’t appreciate.
Checking Mail Every Single Day
The daily trek to the mailbox feels as outdated as winding a pocket watch. According to Statista, the volume of first-class mail has decreased by over 30% in the past decade, with total mail volume declining every year since 2007.
For many young adults, checking the physical mailbox has become a once-a-week chore, as it rarely contains anything meaningful. The excitement of “getting mail” has faded in the digital age, leaving most of us to sift through credit card offers and medical bills.
The Gold Watch Retirement Dream
The fairy tale of putting in 40 years of service and then fleeing into the sunset with a pension is pretty much dead. The gold watch retirement party has turned into a “see you Monday because we can’t afford not to be working” situation.
Millennials approach traditional retirement planning much like turtles approach long-distance running; it’s far from a natural fit.
Cable TV Subscriptions as Standard
Spending $150 a month for 500 channels you never watch? That’s financial self-sabotage. Approximately 68.7 million households still subscribe to cable TV, a decrease from 72.2 million in 2023 and a sharp drop from 105 million in 2010.
The idea of structuring your life around TV schedules now feels as outdated as a sundial. For many younger consumers, cable packages evoke the same frustration as gym memberships; a hefty fee for endless options, yet somehow, there’s nothing worth watching.
Handwritten Thank-You Notes for Everything
The art of the formal thank-you note is as rare as calligraphy and good penmanship. Emily Post Institute traditions seem somewhat extravagant when I can send an actual text message or email expressing the same thanks immediately.
Younger people like thoughtfulness, but they don’t want a cardstock sentiment written in fancy script.
Golf is the Ultimate Status Symbol
Joining a golf club, regardless of your level of commitment, is often compared to “the business equivalent of wearing a top hat to work.” Technically acceptable, but undeniably outdated. As Lynx Golf aptly puts it in their blog, this tradition feels increasingly out of step with modern times.
Golf’s traditional culture, including rules and dress codes, high membership fees, and exclusivity, can be a deterrent for younger professionals who prioritize inclusivity, sustainability, and flexibility.
Physical Maps and Written Directions
Unfolding a massive paper map in your car feels as outdated as doing taxes with an abacus. The days of printing out MapQuest directions and praying you didn’t miss a turn are utterly foreign to anyone who grew up with GPS.
Younger drivers will never experience the anxiety of being truly lost, unable to instantly recalculate a route at the tap of a screen.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
We scoured the Internet to see what people had to say about gas station food. If you think the only things available are wrinkled hot dogs of indeterminate age and day-glow slushies, we’ve got great, tasty news for you. Whether it ends up being part of a regular routine or your only resource on a long car trip, we have the food info you need.
Let’s look at 6 gas stations that folks can’t get enough of and see what they have for you to eat.
