In today's world, it is not uncommon to hear Millennials complaining that their elders have socially ridiculed them in public. Whether it is about society, fashion or politics, Baby Boomers usually feel the need to express their unwarranted opinions about Millennials. Here are 8 common complaints that Baby Boomers have for us Millennials.
1. “You kids are always on social media. It’s toxic.”
This complaint is literally one of the most petty and ridiculous complaints that Millennials face on a daily basis. There are multiple prime examples of toxicity that Baby Boomers continue to partake in including, but not limited to: smoking packs of cigarettes on a daily basis, being racist, drinking excessive amounts, criticizing all aspects of modern day society, supporting Donald Trump and wanting to remove the barrier between church and state. Clearly, scrolling through Instagram for five minutes a day is innocuous compared to their destructive behavior.
2. “You are too young to understand politics.”
As an 18-year-old Hispanic homosexual male, I have received this comment way more than is socially acceptable. I may be young. However, I am not blind. I am educated and am entitled to have an opinion on the state of our slowly disintegrating society. Stop using my age as a way to say you do not agree with my actions or outlook on society. If you have a problem, be direct rather than being a coward.
3. “There is no such thing as family anymore.”
This is a sad reality of my generation. However, it is not our fault. With the high expectations that society has laid upon the youth of our nation to succeed, family appears to be the first idea to be put on the back burner. Between education, friends, extracurriculars, distance between family members and family conflict, there is no time to have “family time.” It is a sad truth, but it is necessary to advance society.
4. “Back in my day…” (followed by a snarky comment about how the speaker's life was harder than yours)
I tend to get this comment from my dad a lot. If I complain about something for even a second, I automatically receive a 10-minute lecture on how his generation had it harder than Millennials. I do admit that my generation tends to complain a lot about minimalistic tasks. However, when you have 100 plus things to do in one day, venting about the insignificant tasks for a few minutes can help release the daily stress of being brought up in an age of endless work.
5. “You Millennials drive so recklessly.”
Here is the main issue with this complaint: from my personal experience, I have noticed that Baby Boomers tend to be the more reckless drivers than the random 17-year-old boy driving back from school. At least from my perspective, I am beyond nervous when driving because I do not want to make one mistake because, clearly, driving is a dangerous task in itself. As a result, I find that most Millennials take fewer risks and drive more carefully than Baby Boomers. However, this up for objection.
6. “When I was your age, there were no labor laws. Get a job.”
When I turned 17, the pressure to find a high school job was on. Even though I was very lucky to have parents who did not need me to help pay the bills, the value of hard physical labor was still instilled within me. This had prompted me to find a job in a local pizzeria that was the epitome of a stereotypical high school job. Each time I came back from work covered in flour, my dad would mock my work claiming that his was more physically intensive. It is not my fault that my generation has a general concern for human health and that I cannot work in a factory for 8 hours after school.
7. “Why do you guys ruin your skin with tattoos? It is disgusting.”
Anyone who has a tattoo from the Millennial age can relate to this statement. The first time that both my parents saw my tattoos they were appalled, to say the least. To this day, they do not understand the purpose of art and how ink can mean so much to someone. I do not expect Baby Boomers to understand tattoos or to show interest in them. However, as human beings we should respect each other and what others choose to do with their body. You can save the comments for when I am not in your presence.
8. “Social liberalism is toxic.”
It appears that every Baby Boomer feels the need to express their unwarranted opinion on diversity, freedom of expression, LGBTQA+ rights, and discrimination. In all honesty, I do not have time to listen to your brainwashed opinion on why I should not be allowed to get married. Instead of running your mouth on what is so corrupt about social liberalism, why don’t you take a look at the effects of your actions on society, rather than critiquing other people’s lives?
It is inevitable that generational gaps will continue to exist. In this day in age, Baby Boomers and Millennials tend to bicker more often than past generations. My final advice on this issue would be for Millennials to understand the perspective of Baby Boomers, however, do not let them insult you personally.
