Boomers grew up in a time without “life hacks.” They lived their lives following a bunch of rules that affected how they showed respect to others and dealt with small responsibilities, although these rules weren’t always explained to them. They simply followed them. But Gen Z doesn’t have the same expectations or social norms, so they often skip these rules. Here are nine life rules boomers follow that Gen Z keeps ignoring.
RSVP like it’s a promise
Sending an RSVP to someone is a guarantee that the host can count on you. Silence isn’t an answer for boomers. They made sure to follow up anytime that their plans changed, and they would always follow through with their promises. Yet Gen Z often communicates through group chats or event links where their responses are more open-ended.
They’ll wait to see who else is going & how they feel that day. They might want to see whether a better plan turns up, and many Gen Zers don’t believe in the idea that their response is a guarantee.
Bring something small when you’re hosted at someone’s home
People in the older generation are firm believers that you can’t simply show up empty-handed to an event. Going to something like a dinner meant you had to bring flowers or dessert, something easy that the host could hold onto. Gen Z doesn’t follow the same rules because their hangouts tend to be more casual.
They split costs or have takeout nights and will help the hosts clean & send some money later. Gen Zers use that to replace the gift. They’re essentially still trying to show their gratitude, it’s simply in another form.
Use titles until you’re told otherwise
Most boomers grew up hearing that you should start formal and relax later, so they use titles like “Mr” or “Mrs.” It’s especially true when talking to teachers or neighbors. They often view first names as an invitation and something that you need to get permission to use. But Gen Z lives life differently.
They grew up in classrooms where first names are standard, and they’re used to using them with authority figures. Gen Zers often view titles as being completely unnecessary. It’s quite common for younger people to avoid titles completely, without realizing that older people expect them to use them.
Don’t ask for a favor without offering the details upfront
Any requests for a favor have to be explicitly clear, according to boomers. Many of them believe you should be open about what you need & when you need it, as well as where and what it involves. Boomers send rather specific messages when they’re asking someone to do something.
Yet Gen Z prefers to start with a soft opener like, “Are you busy later?” or “Can I ask you something?” They believe in filling in the details afterwards and giving the full picture second. It often feels quite backwards to most older people because they’ve been raised to give all the details upfront.
Call if you’re running late
Even boomers are behind schedule sometimes, and when that happens, the obvious thing for them is to pick up the phone. They won’t send a vague text or resort to apologizing at the door. Boomers choose to do a quick call to let other people know that they’re going to be ten or fifteen minutes late. But Gen Z doesn’t have the same courtesy.
Gen Zers resort to sending a quick text that simply says “running late,” and they very rarely specify how late they’ll actually be. They may even avoid it completely and turn up late instead. That’s an issue for older people because they see the missing time as the problem, not the lateness itself.
Don’t leave someone else’s mess for later
Cleanup has to happen immediately for many boomers, rather than whenever it feels convenient. They’re big believers in wiping up straight away after cooking & cleaning up a shared space before walking away. Gen Z prefers to batch chores, and that leads to dishes & clutter sitting until later in the day.
Such a delay can lead to cleanup being shifted onto whoever gets annoyed first in a shared house. It doesn’t matter that they didn’t make the mess because Gen Z thinks it’s okay to delay, and they’ll do so repeatedly.
Replace what you finish
Boomers follow a similar rule whenever they’re close to running out of something. They grew up hearing that you should take responsibility for fixing anything you empty, whether that’s milk or the paper towels. They would either replace it right away or tell the next person & add it to the shopping list.
Gen Z, unfortunately, doesn’t do the same because their homes tend to run on loose awareness. They’ll leave empties in the fridge or cabinet until someone else realizes that these things need to be replaced. Another person needs to deal with the empty container first.
Don’t show up early unless you’re invited to
Quite a few boomers don’t believe that showing up early to a party is polite because they know it can cause issues with cooking or final preparation. It’s even worse when someone’s hosting at home. They expect to arrive on time or a couple of minutes late, but they’ll make sure to give a heads-up before doing so.
Gen Zers usually see arriving early as being efficient. They might show up while the host is still cleaning or changing clothes, creating all kinds of awkwardness. Older hosts tend to smile through it all. But the timing doesn’t feel right for them.
Write a thank-you note when someone gives you a gift
Many boomers believe that showing your gratitude to someone involves a lot more than simply saying “thanks.” You have to give them a short handwritten note that names the gift & mentions the event at which you were given the present. The note has to arrive by mail within a reasonable timeframe.
But Gen Z tends to believe that sending a quick text or a heart reaction is enough to show how grateful you are. The follow-up doesn’t usually happen once the moment passes, and they’ll very rarely go into detail to show that they’re thankful.
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