Reddit user Embarrassed_Idea1962 recently asked members of the subreddit r/AskWomenOver30, "What's something you agree with the Boomers on?" Here are some of the opinions they swear by that others may consider "old school."
1. "I want dumber things. I don't need a fridge that will connect to my phone. I don't need a microwave that will generate recipes and shit. I just want things to do their basic functions without needing the internet and your personal data."
"And real buttons that you can feel in cars. Touch screens while driving are a disaster."
2. "RSVPs. People either don't RSVP at all anymore, or they do, but then they end up being no-shows who don't reach out to say anything about what happened. Then, they act like nothing's wrong when you see them later, because in their mind, that's true. It's not everyone, but it's a lot of people, increasingly more each year, or so it seems. It's frustrating, especially for anything that requires planning ahead and requires money and/or time."
3. "I was in the mood to watch a specific movie a few weeks ago, and none of the streaming services I subscribe to had it available (at least not without an extra charge). It made me want to dig out the box of DVDs and the player stashed in the basement. At least I paid for that stuff and still own it."
4. "I hate using my phone for a restaurant menu, and I hate the over-computerization of everything. Not everything in your car needs to be a screen. Analog dash is superior in every way."
5. "I like my appliances to be objects, not robots. I HATE talking to machines. Although many boomers love this stuff. My dad is obsessed with smart home stuff."
6. "Concerts are better when nobody has a phone."
7. "Stop making everything a subscription! I just want access to said thing without having to sign up or pay another ridiculous fee. I also don't want to pay an absurd amount for something, and then have to pay more on top of that to have access to said thing. I'm so over it."
"Subscriptions have gotten very out of hand, and I hate it. I bought a new (to me) car a few months ago, and it has a fully functioning remote start/remote AC option through the app...which, after a three-month trial, they wanted me to pay $20 A MONTH to use. That's $240 a year! To remotely turn on or lock/unlock my car! My previous car had a completely free app where I could do just about anything (and that app actually worked really well, unlike the $20/month one, which is pretty garbage to begin with). Absolutely infuriating. I just suffer in the hot car out of moral protest now."
8. "Bring back real telephones, with real landlines. Something with good audio quality that doesn’t depend on a WiFi signal. Cellphone/internet phones have terrible voice quality."
9. "Not everything needs to be a fucking app. We have something called web browsers that can take you to literally any website in existence. Websites did not need to be disrupted with shitty mobile versions deliberately designed with a fucking awful UX, forcing you to download the app. WEBSITES WERE FINE AS THEY WERE."
"Also, I hate that everything needs an account and a sign-in. Having the same password for everything is a security risk; having a different one for everything is impossible to remember. JUST LET ME DO THINGS WITHOUT TRACKING ME. GOD DAMN."
10. "I really do worry about children raised on screens. The emerging data is frightening, so it's not 'just whining.' The level of dopamine their minds are accustomed to is an easy pathway to early addiction, because normative, natural stimulation can't generate enough dopamine to meet their tolerance threshold."
11. "Social media has largely hindered people's ability to socialize in healthy, meaningful ways."
12. "Sometimes a phone call is just easier. You can go back and forth on text, or knock out your plans in a two-minute call. You can try to navigate a website, or you can call the business and have your question answered quickly. Also, online shopping doesn't work for everything. I want to sit on the couch. I want to lie on the mattress. I want to feel the rug under my feet. I don't want to order something substantial from a website sight-unseen and then have it not be what I expected when it shows up, and then have to figure out how to get it back where it came from."
13. "I really hate AI bots for customer service, and that you can't easily call the companies anymore when something is wrong with an order, for example."
14. "The live music in restaurants is too loud."
15. "'How did we do?!' surveys for EVERYTHING. The doctor's office, after I get a mammogram, the pharmacy, Amazon, and literally anywhere I've visited or spent money. I realize I'm not obligated to do them, but the emails and texts are relentless."
16. "I don't want to give a phone number or email to every place I shop at. Stop asking me. Yes, I do have a junk email, but should I really have to have a junk email? No. Also, self-checkout should not be the default. I like that it's an option, but especially at grocery stores, it just makes more sense to go through a real line, especially if I have a full cart of groceries."
"A lot of manners stuff. Saying please and thank you, or excuse me if you get into someone's space. Sending thank you cards. Bringing something with you when you go to a party/gathering at someone else's house, etc. A lot of people have gotten way too individualistic and just don't have a care for other people, and then we all complain we're lonely and have lost third spaces, etc. It's like...you need to give a little to get a little, you know?"
17. "I want to own things. I don't want to subscribe for life."
18. "I want to speak to a representative! I don't want to go through your self-service phone menu. Yes, I know you have a website, but I'm calling for a reason: to speak to a human being."
19. "Food items that are 'app exclusive.' Chipotle, if you already have all the ingredients for the quesadillas, why can I only order them in the app? Why can't I just order them at the counter?"
20. "I don't get why people are so averse to phone calls. There is little to no way to foster meaningful relationships with people entirely over text. You're not hearing someone's voice, emotional vocal tics, or cues, but you think you're bonding over words on a page. It makes zero sense to me."
21. "The way I want to convert to a '90s lifestyle is so strong. I want a house phone. I want a dumb mobile phone. I want TV shows only at a specific time once a week (which I know is probably available now, but cable is more expensive than internet and streaming services 😩). I want to be inaccessible sometimes without worrying others. I want a desktop computer in the living room so everyone can see what you're doing over your shoulder, and it's considered rude if you're glued to tech in the presence of others. I write all this from my smartphone and as a person who works in tech who drastically wants to sever ties with tech in my personal life 😩."
22. And: "Please chat with me about the weather. Smiling and having a pleasant chat with a customer or neighbor doesn't hurt anyone. People are all too busy for each other these days, and it's a shame. I don't want to subscribe to everything, but I have a bunch of apps. Yes, I would like a window crank in my car. You don't always have to express everything you're feeling at every moment to everyone. There's a time and a place for expressing yourself in certain ways, and it's okay to have manners or fit into different social environments. It's not special or impressive to not like what is popular. It just sounds like you don't know how to relax and have fun."
What's your most Boomer-ish opinion? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.