A few months ago, I wrote a post sharing people's responses to being asked for their "most boomer" complaints — aka complaining about stuff in society that's become normalized but really, really should not have been. That post seemed to resonate with a lot of you. Many people from our very own BuzzFeed Community commented about their own "boomer" opinions, and I had to share. So, here's a mix of the most controversial, relatable, and "Thank God someone said it" comments we got:
1. "Oh gosh, the quality of stuff is absolute crap now. I bought the exact same pair of sweatpants this year as a pair I bought 10 years ago. Same brand, same 'line' within the brand, same everything. The pair I bought this year are falling apart already. The pair I bought 10 years ago are totally fine."
2. "[QR code menus can be] an option, sure. But not the only option, please. I like to look at things and compare and contrast, and you can’t do that efficiently on a tiny screen."
3. "My complaint is that young adults don't know how to navigate without GPS. If you're going somewhere new, I get it. But you should know how to get back home from the places you frequently go. I moved to a rural area, and without fail, I will lose GPS connection for about two hours of the eight-hour drive between my hometown and my new home. If I couldn't memorize the route, well, I'd be sleeping in a pine forest!"
4. "This isn’t my biggest complaint, but for a generation that (rightfully) shreds people for prejudice and slurs, calling people boomers is very ageist."
5. "People need to stop normalizing bringing their dogs everywhere. Like, Susan, this is a restaurant; your Yorkie does not need to be sitting under your table begging strangers for food."
6. "AI is pathetic, disgusting, unethical, and ruins everything it touches."
7. In response to a question about what to do with kids in a restaurant, besides putting them on an iPad: "Talk to your kids, encourage them to take coloring books or toys to restaurants to keep them busy, [and] teach them patience. It’s sad to see my own nephews not able to sit still or have a conversation because they 'need' their tablet to be happy. You chose to have kids, it’s your responsibility to teach them. A tablet is not a babysitter."
8. "People seem to have forgotten what a true emergency is. Because we can contact someone 24/7 now, everyone thinks everything is urgent. It's not."
9. "As an avid reader...I think TikTok was responsible for a big book resurgence, which is awesome. However, it is SOOOO cookie-cutter now. You can't find a fantasy or romance book without it being labeled as 'this trope' or 'that trope.' And I also understand the concept of trigger warnings before books, but they've gotten so detailed and out of hand it actually spoils the plot. Thanks, BookTok, for a lot of things...but can we please stop with catering to over-tropism and chili-pepper-ism."
10. "I once saw a video of some wannabe influencer filming a worker at the café without her consent. When the worker asked her to stop, [the influencer] called her a 'Karen.'"
11. "I CANNOT tolerate the feel of paper straws in my mouth! There is nothing more vile and disgusting than dissolving paper, especially while trying to enjoy a nice cold drink. I would rather forgo the straw or drink from a toilet pipe than use those damn things. It had to be said, even if it makes me a boomer."
12. "People need to put their phones down or away when they’re talking to someone. [It's] very inconsiderate when I’m trying to have a conversation with my husband or a friend at dinner and am cut off mid-sentence because they got a notification and have to check [it] and respond to it immediately."
13. "I’m an elementary school teacher, and my school board just reintroduced cursive! No, not everything you learn in school will be applied to your daily adult life — [but this] is something that grows and trains your brain and motor skills in a new way. Sometimes it’s more about learning just to learn and expand your mind and abilities than being a crucial everyday skill."
14. "As a teacher, I have one: Kids should not have cellphones in class. Here’s the thing that grinds my gears, though: Many of them carry their phones around because THEIR PARENTS TEXT THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY!"
"So I guess my REAL boomer opinion is that school should be a place for learning. And parents should respect that and not feel the need to contact their kids while they’re at school…or at least do it the old-fashioned way and call through the office."
15. "My husband is a teacher, and student cellphone use is probably at the root of almost every issue he faces. The kids refuse to put them away, refuse to divert their attention from the screen to pay attention to his teaching, won't take out their earbuds or turn off their music, and when he calls home about it, nothing happens."
16. "I miss owning things. Everything is a subscription now."
17. And finally: "Give me a legitimate reason to have a phone before 16. And 'Because my friends have one' is not it. My stepson's mom bought him an iPhone when he was 12, [and] there was no reason for him to have one AT ALL. We always knew where he was and could get in touch with him if needed. He's 18 now, so this was only six years ago. The only thing having a phone did was create an addiction."
