Every generation gets painted with a broad brush sometimes, but boomers have taken more than their fair share of hits lately.
From social media jokes to casual eye-rolls, there’s a whole library of tired stereotypes that honestly just don’t hold up when you look closer. A lot of what people assume about boomers completely misses the depth, adaptability, and experience they actually bring to the table. If we could get rid of these stereotypes in the near future, that’d be great.
1. They’re hopeless with technology.
Sure, not every boomer grew up with smartphones glued to their hands, but plenty have adapted just fine. They’re on apps, running online businesses, managing smart homes, and Zoom-calling grandkids with the best of them. Acting like boomers can’t handle tech is way off. Many just didn’t have the luxury of growing up with it, but that doesn’t mean they’re helpless now. Give them credit—learning tech as an adult isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
2. They’re all stuck in the past.
It’s easy to imagine boomers as clinging desperately to the “good old days,” but a lot of them are the ones pushing for change, reinventing careers, or chasing new passions later in life. Nostalgia exists, sure—it does for every generation—but being proud of where you come from doesn’t mean you’re stuck there. Boomers know how to move forward while still respecting where they’ve been.
3. They don’t understand mental health.
Yes, boomers grew up in a time when mental health wasn’t openly discussed, but that doesn’t mean they dismiss it now. Many have done the hard work of unlearning old stigmas and supporting better conversations around it. It’s unfair to act like every boomer is stuck in a “just toughen up” mindset. Plenty have advocated for better therapy access, learned emotional language later in life, and support mental health just as strongly as younger generations.
4. They think younger generations are lazy.
It’s a tired trope that boomers are constantly calling millennials and Gen Z lazy, but most are fully aware that today’s job market, economy, and stressors are wildly different from the ones they faced. Plenty of boomers are proud of younger people carving out new paths and redefining success. The ones who truly understand hard work usually respect it in whatever form it shows up, even if it doesn’t look exactly like theirs.
5. They’re all ultra-conservative.
Political views are as diverse among boomers as they are in any generation. Assuming they all lean one way massively overlooks the huge number who are progressive, inclusive, and passionate about social change. Plenty of boomers marched for civil rights, protested wars, and fought for women’s rights long before it was trendy. It’s lazy thinking to assume their values are frozen in time or tied to one political stereotype.
6. They had everything handed to them.
It’s true that some things—like buying a house, for example—were easier back then. But plenty of boomers also faced recessions, job cuts, housing crashes, and serious financial hurdles that don’t fit the “silver spoon” narrative. No generation has had it purely easy. Boomers worked hard for what they built, even if some advantages existed that don’t anymore. Dismissing their effort because of timing misses a big part of the story.
7. They’re terrible at understanding new social issues.
Change is hard for everyone, but plenty of boomers are genuinely curious and eager to understand shifting conversations around identity, inclusion, and equality. Being older doesn’t automatically make someone out of touch. In fact, some of the most thoughtful, compassionate advocates for change are boomers who took the time to listen, learn, and evolve, and they deserve way more credit than they usually get.
8. They don’t care about the environment.
Boomers are often blamed for environmental problems, but many of them were the first to push for conservation efforts, recycling programs, and early climate activism long before it was mainstream. They didn’t create every problem facing the planet, and a lot of them are working just as hard to fix it. Painting them all as careless polluters overlooks decades of passionate environmental work.
9. They can’t handle change.
When you’ve lived through everything from the invention of the internet to massive cultural revolutions, you’re actually pretty good at adapting. Boomers have survived and thrived through more societal shifts than most people give them credit for. Change might not always be easy, but Boomers have seen it, lived it, and often led it. Acting like they’re terrified of progress doesn’t match up with the reality of how much they’ve already navigated.
10. They’re out of touch with modern life.
Not knowing every TikTok trend doesn’t mean someone’s out of touch. Boomers have raised families, built businesses, stayed connected, and adapted to a digital world that moves at dizzying speed. Understanding life’s bigger patterns—community, resilience, family, adaptability—matters more than being fluent in every passing trend. In a lot of ways, Boomers are right in the thick of modern life, not watching it from the sidelines.
11. They’re resistant to learning new skills.
Whether it’s mastering tech, picking up new hobbies, or even launching second or third careers, plenty of boomers are lifelong learners. They don’t see learning as something you stop doing after a certain age. Assuming they’re set in their ways ignores how many Boomers are constantly evolving—learning new systems at work, picking up DIY skills, or diving into creative projects they never had time for before.
12. They don’t have empathy for younger struggles.
Every generation sees life through its own lens, but most boomers understand that things are genuinely harder now in many ways, from housing to job stability to mental health pressures. Many aren’t rolling their eyes at younger struggles; they’re offering support, advice, and sometimes even resources to help. They know life isn’t a competition about who had it worse. It’s about compassion across generations.
13. They’re obsessed with materialism.
Yes, consumer culture exploded during parts of the boomer era, but that doesn’t mean every boomer is obsessed with wealth, possessions, or keeping up appearances. Plenty value experiences, relationships, and simplicity far more than flashy stuff. Like every generation, values change over time, and assuming they all worship materialism is just lazy stereotyping.
14. They’re bad at communication.
Different communication styles don’t mean bad communication. Boomers might not overshare everything online or express feelings the same way, but that doesn’t mean they’re emotionally illiterate. Many are fantastic listeners, wise advisors, and deeply empathetic; they just sometimes show it in quieter, less flashy ways. Judging their emotional depth by how often they post about it is missing the point entirely.
15. They don’t want to change or grow.
One of the biggest myths is that boomers have decided who they are and that’s it. In reality, plenty are still growing, questioning, and becoming—because personal evolution doesn’t stop at any age. Assuming otherwise strips people of their humanity. Growth is messy, ongoing, and available to everyone, and many boomers are living proof that change is possible even when the world assumes you’re too old to bother.
