It’s no surprise that the younger generation loves many “woke” trends, yet boomers just can’t get behind. Whether it’s being extra careful about pronouns or canceling anyone who makes a mistake, these topics are certain to make any dinner conversation controversial. Let’s look at 18 woke trends and why many boomers will never support them.
Push for Pronouns
These days, many people introduce themselves with pronouns to make other people feel seen and respected. While younger people are all for this, many boomers find it a bit confusing. They don’t understand why we need to state something that seems obvious. They find it hard to follow this trend because they weren’t born.
Cancel Culture
Cancel culture is when someone famous says or does something offensive, and suddenly, they’re cut off from their careers and fans. Even if it’s something they did many years ago, young people believe we should hold them accountable. Many boomers, though, see it as going too far and argue that it means people aren’t being allowed to make mistakes.
Safe Spaces on College Campuses
Colleges are creating “safe spaces” where students can relax without facing any ideas or words that upset them. While it’s meant to be good, many boomers think it’s ridiculous. They argue that college should toughen you up with different views, not shield you from them, so making “safe spaces” defeats the whole purpose of college.
Corporate Diversity Training
Diversity training at work is becoming the norm, and it’s supposed to help everyone get along and understand each other better. Some boomers feel it’s a bit forced, and they miss the times when work was just about work. Many question whether these sessions change anything or if they are just box-ticking exercises designed to make younger people happy.
Environmental Extremism
While everyone agrees that saving the planet is important, and nobody’s against cleaner air and water, younger people seem to take it to the extreme. They want drastic changes like zero-waste lifestyles, which many boomers find unrealistic. They’d rather encourage people to take moderate, doable steps than big leaps.
The Rise of Social Media Activism
Activism is huge on social media, too, and many younger people use these platforms to spread the word quickly. But boomers think that this type of activism is less genuine or effective than the old-school, get-your-hands-dirty kind. Many think it’s just a way for younger people to score points without making any changes, meaning that it’s utterly useless.
Gender-Neutral Bathrooms
Lots of young people support the idea of bathrooms that anyone can use, no matter their gender identity, as they argue it’s a step towards inclusivity. For boomers, though, it’s one step too far because they either find it uncomfortable or unnecessary. They’re used to bathrooms being straightforward, men’s and women’s, and this new idea can feel like a bit much.
The Gig Economy
In the gig economy, flexibility is the name of the game, and this means jobs aren’t 9-to-5 but more “as you like.” While younger people love this sense of freedom it offers, boomers value the security and the perks that come with traditional jobs, like pensions and steady pay. To them, gigging seems too risky and unstable.
Remote Work
Similarly, younger people praise the shift to remote work because they think it’s more convenient than “normal” jobs. However, for boomers, this change means that work is less professional, and they miss a regular office environment’s personal interaction and structure. They’re not sure if home productivity can truly match that of in-office work.
Reimagining History
Many young people want us to rethink how we teach history by examining perspectives that we overlooked before. Although they believe this gives everyone their due recognition, some boomers feel it messes with the history they learned and respected. They believe we shouldn’t use our modern opinions to contradict the facts.
Plant-Based Diets
Boomers are pretty wary about the vegan trend that’s taking the health and environmental sectors by storm. Although they understand the benefits of eating less meat, they’re unsure if these diets can provide all the necessary nutrients. They also think our diets should be a personal choice, not something other people dictate to us.
Influencer Culture
The idea of influencers earning by promoting products is pretty confusing for most boomers. They tend to be skeptical about how real these online personalities actually are, and they feel nostalgic for a time when advertising was more direct. To them, influencer culture represents everything that’s wrong with the younger generations.
Multicultural Celebrations
Seeing so many cultural holidays in schools and workplaces is a bit too much for many boomers because they’re used to just a few traditions. Of course, they understand the importance of celebrating diversity, but they’re worried that their cultural heritage will be ignored. What’s wrong with sticking to the celebrations of your own history?
Minimalism
Minimalism is the hot new thing at the moment. It involves reducing life’s clutter to focus on what’s truly essential. Younger generations see a lot of value in decluttering because of its environmental impact, but boomers are often reluctant to support such extreme simplicity. They believe their possessions are symbols of security and comfort instead.
Digital Payments
The move to digital payments has been pretty quick, mostly because electronic transactions are more convenient than cash. But it doesn’t work out so well for boomers, who prefer how cash feels more “real” and gives you more direct control over your personal finances. They’d prefer having the choice between digital or cash.
Political Correctness in Media
Today’s media cares a lot about not offending audiences by encouraging people to be inclusive and sensitive. As you might expect, many boomers think this has made entertainment boring and less authentic. They remember a time when storylines were less filtered, and people cared less about being politically correct.
Education on LGBTQ+ Issues
Schools are teaching more about LGBTQ+ histories and experiences because they’re trying to be more inclusive, although some boomers struggle with this. They’re used to more traditional educational content, where teachers focus just on teaching. While they might support respect and understanding, they find the depth of new topics quite surprising.
Mental Health
Younger people are trying to push mental health into the spotlight, as they see it as just as important as physical health. Schools and workplaces are improving support services to encourage open conversations about stress and depression, which is naturally a good thing. But many boomers are still adjusting to this new openness because they grew up in a time when you were more likely to keep personal struggles under wraps.
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