Boomers receive a great deal of unfair treatment, although we must concede that they don’t always cover themselves in glory. The generation that rose from the ashes of a devastating world war didn’t always have it easy, and they helped build economies that gave many following generations their lifestyles. However, sometimes, their advice is awful.
1. Work Hard, and Success Will Come
Imagine you’re in school and then told by your history teacher that he has no sympathy for young people demanding a $15 minimum wage today. His generation worked full-time while studying, then paid their way through college and bought a house. However, then imagine your economics teacher telling you that because of inflation, you were better off applying for financial aid to have a prayer at paying for higher education.
2. Buy a House
How many youngsters drool at their parents’ $500 mortgage payments and then laugh when their parents tell them to buy a house if they want to become asset-rich? The problem with this advice, depending on where one lives, is mortgage payments have been decimated by high interest, which makes buying more expensive than renting for many people. Moreover, if you have one structural issue with your new home, you may pay the costs for a decade.
3. Take It on the Chin
Many stories exist involving retail workers having to endure daily abuse from their borderline supervisors and store-Karen customers. Nothing rattles millennial nerves more than being told it’s part of the employment adventure and teaches character. It can be especially grating to youngsters when that parent is retired and worked for himself during a thriving economy.
4. Trust the Banks
The words “trust” and “bank” often appear together in marketing campaigns and adverts, which is ironic. When a baby boomer explains that entrusting your money to a system that acts like a giant betting syndicate, you have to wonder where they have been for the past 100 years.
5. Hit the Streets
Often, grandparents might tell their millennial or Gen X offspring that if finding a job online is hard, then go and hit the streets to ask around. Back in the ’70s and ’80s, a happy-go-lucky boomer might have been able to drop their resume across town in the hope of gainful employment. Sadly, modern times involve hours of online forms, LinkedIn searches, and “onboarding” sessions that lead to no work.
6. Have Kids Before It’s Too Late
The “kids” question is something many young Gen Zers and older millennials have already gone through with their boomer parents. However, Zoomers are now getting the same treatment, with many hitting their mid-20s. Of course, people are having children much older now, so being told to think about children now is hard for distracted 20-something Gen Zers.
7. Treat Them Mean
An old saying for young men usually passed down by old men in white leather loafers is “Treat them mean; keep them keen.” Of course, it refers to the idea that showing your girlfriend too much affection means they will lose interest in you. There is some truth in the sentiment that lowering one’s guard too much invites attack, but this advice can be taken to bad places in the wrong hands.
8. Refinance Your House
There are some valid reasons for refinancing your house: starting a business, releasing equity for an emergency, or seeking a lower interest rate with a new deal. However, when the advice to refinance comes from an alcoholic aunt who has refinanced her house three times to fund her gambling habit, you may want to nod and smile, assuring said aunt it’s a great idea.
9. Carpe Diem, Baby
Some boomers speak as if they’re in some ’80s feel-good comedy where a daring young rookie demands a meeting with the boss of a big firm. At first, the kid walks into the reception and is humiliated by a snarky receptionist. Next, she tries to approach the boss as he walks with his executive entourage to an important meeting, but embarrassment comes once more. Finally, after repeated defeat, she confronts the boss at his local hangout. Naturally, he sees her grit — he loves someone with initiative. So, you’re hired, kid. Nowadays, approaching a CEO will likely end in bruises or a lawsuit.
10. Working With Computers Is a Waste
It must be satisfying to a Gen Xer when their parents tell them that a real qualification in an academic subject would give them better career prospects than playing with computers. There must have been an even sweeter feeling when they worked from home, part-time writing video game soundtracks and earning enough to spend the rest of their time playing video games.
11. You Can Do Anything
The sky’s no limit for some individuals; they fly through life with perfect timing, astute judgment, and time management skills that even an algorithm would find impressive. However, most people aren’t like that; they cannot be anything they want to be. Maybe they live in poverty, have to care for a sick relative, or lack sufficient mental agility to be successful in some fields. The best advice you can give someone is to find something they are good at and then try to find a way to monetize it.
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