17 Modern Annoyances That Make Boomers Long for ‘The Good Old Days’

There are many modern inventions that boomers simply can’t stand and make them long for times past. What are they, and why are they so annoying? You’ll find 17 examples in this article. 

Digital Communication

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The statistics from NCR show that 68% of boomers own a smartphone. Although they’re connected to the modern world, many find communicating using a smartphone annoying and would love to go back in time to a world with more face-to-face communication and in-person interaction.

Online Banking

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According to Forbes, 29% of Americans still prefer to bank in person, and among those figures are boomers. Many boomers prefer banking in person, as it’s more personal. Many find the processes of online banking difficult to trust and are not keen on them.

Instant Information

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According to the Reading Agency, only 34% of adults visited a public library in the last 12 months. This is due, in large part, to the fact that people can find out information instantly using their smartphones without the need to go to a library. Many boomers are upset as the satisfaction of the search for information has been lost. 

Negative News Reports

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The statistics from the Pew Research Center say that 86% of U.S. adults say they often or sometimes get news from a smartphone, computer, or tablet. Yes, world news, both negative and positive, is very easy to access and some boomers find this overwhelming as they remember the days when they were not bombarded with so many negative news reports.

Information Overload

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We have more access to information now than ever before. Although this is helpful in many ways, many boomers find it overwhelming and cannot keep up with a world moving at such a fast pace. They long for the good old days when we only knew what we needed to know.

Books

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According to Britannica, the industry for buying and selling e-books first emerged as a mainstream business in the late 1990s. But although paperless books have been around for a number of decades, many boomers miss the feel of paper and find that digital reading doesn’t bring the same satisfaction.

Movies

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Forbes says that 78% of all U.S. households subscribe to at least one or more streaming services. Although the boomer generation is among these figures, many miss the old excitement that came with going to a drive-in movie theater to watch the latest movies. 

Privacy

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Due to social media, there is more personal information on the internet than ever before. This is concerning to many boomers who would prefer to keep their information private. They are concerned about how much of their personal information is online and who has access to it.

Identity Theft

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Due to advances in technology, it has become easier than ever for people to get hold of your identity and steal it. Many boomers are worried about social media, their use of the internet, and how this might affect their chances of having their identity stolen. 

Short Form Content

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People simply can’t concentrate for a long time like they used to. Because of that, a lot of modern information is presented in short-form content to hold modern short attention spans. This is irritating for many boomers, who appreciate the presentation of longer updates and deeper information. 

Automated Customer Service

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Nowadays, when you phone a call center, you get through to a machine rather than a person. Boomers miss the old days when you would call a helpline and get straight through to a person and be able to communicate about your problems. They find the modern automated system frustrating. 

Online Shopping

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Many boomers aren’t keen on online shopping because it’s too impersonal and you can end up purchasing something that isn’t quite right. They would prefer to go to a retail store and be able to touch the products they want to buy and interact with a shopkeeper. 

Online Food Shopping

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Although the click-and-collect services offered by supermarkets are great for many boomers with mobility issues, many would still prefer to go to the store and pick up the items they need. They find online shopping too impersonal and would like to interact with the people in the store.

Fast Fashion

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Many boomers see the advantages of fast fashion, like being able to get great deals on clothing, but they miss the way that clothes used to last in the past. Nowadays, you can expect your clothes to last only a few seasons, whereas items were of much better quality in the past. 

Calculated Spending

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Boomers miss the days of paying for items with cash or writing checks. The process of counting their money made them think more about how much they were spending. They conclude that the fast contactless payments of today make it too easy to spend money. 

Internet Addiction

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One thing that boomers struggle to come to terms with is the technology and internet addiction that have gripped today’s world. Many young people can’t have a conversation without constantly checking their cell phones, and boomers find this lack of concentration concerning and even rude.

Games

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Although a lot of vintage games are available through apps online, many boomers don’t find any satisfaction in playing them. They prefer real board games that have a sense of connectivity, where you gather the whole family together and play face-to-face. Modern multiplayer games just don’t seem to cut it.

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