23 Childhood Experiences of Boomers That Gen Z Will Never Grasp

Baby boomers grew up in a time when a single income could support a family, buy a home and a car, and fund college education. Meanwhile, today’s youth face rampant inflation, stagnant wages, climate realities, and a social media obsession. No wonder the two generations have trouble seeing eye to eye. Here are the staples of a boomer’s upbringing that Gen Z finds unrelatable.

Rotary Phones

Every house had a rotary phone. The tactile sensation and the sound of the dial returning were part of the calling experience. Gen Z might find the concept quaint in an era of touchscreens and voice commands.

Encyclopedia Sets

Before the internet, encyclopedias were the way to gain knowledge. Families proudly displayed multi-volume sets in their homes, consulting them for homework or general curiosity.

TV Sign-Off

Television stations used to sign off every night, concluding with the national anthem and a test pattern until morning. There was a definitive end to watching TV, unlike today’s 24/7 streaming culture. Gen Z might never know the feeling of running out of things to watch.

Film Cameras

Taking photos meant using a film camera and waiting to finish the roll before you could see any of the pictures. The anticipation of developing film added a magical quality to photographs. The instant gratification of digital photos has completely changed how we capture moments.

Handwritten Letters

Communication often involved sitting down with pen and paper to write a letter. This process was thoughtful and deliberate. Today, email and texting have almost obliterated the charm and anticipation of receiving a handwritten note.

Going Offline

There was a time when being at home meant you were unreachable. The concept of going offline is foreign to Gen Z, who are always connected in some way. The distinction between public and private space was much clearer for boomers.

Library Card Catalogs

Searching for books in a library involved flipping through a physical card catalog. Digital databases have made this knowledge nearly obsolete for Gen Z who might not even know what the Dewey Decimal System is.

Physical Maps

Road trips and navigation depended on folding and unfolding large, unwieldy maps. Reading a map was an essential skill for travel. GPS and digital maps have all but eliminated the need for physical maps, changing how we explore the world.

Cassette Tapes

Mixtapes on cassettes were a labor of love, recorded from the radio or other tapes. The act of making a mixtape for someone was deeply personal. Streaming playlists can’t quite capture the same effort or sentiment.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Saturday mornings were a ritual of watching cartoons, a time that was eagerly anticipated all week. The excitement of waiting for Saturday morning is something Gen Z might never comprehend.

Dial-Up Internet

The sound of dialing up to the internet, complete with its beeps and static, was a hallmark of early online experiences. The slow connection made every webpage load a test of patience. Today’s high-speed internet has made the dial-up sound a curious artifact.

Video Rental Stores

Friday nights often involved a visit to the video rental store to choose movies for the weekend. The tangible act of picking out a VHS or DVD is a lost experience. Streaming services have replaced this ritual with an endless digital library.

Busy Signals

Calling someone and getting a busy signal meant they were on the phone with someone else. You had to wait and try your call again later. The concept of line engagement is nearly extinct with call waiting and multiple lines.

Manual Typewriters

Typing documents meant using a manual typewriter, with physical effort for each keystroke. Mistakes were a hassle, corrected with liquid paper or by starting over. Word processors and digital text editing have transformed how we write.

Physical Media Storage

Music collections were physically stored as records, tapes, or CDs, taking up space but also serving as tangible artifacts of one’s musical taste. This concept is fading as digital libraries replace shelves of media.

Privacy Expectations

The idea of privacy was once taken for granted, with personal information far less accessible. Today’s online environment, with social media and data breaches, has shifted those expectations dramatically.

Scheduled TV Programming

Watching a TV show meant being in front of the television at the exact time it aired. Missing an episode meant waiting for a rerun. On-demand streaming has made the concept of scheduling viewing almost obsolete.

Public Payphones

If you were out and needed to make a call, finding a payphone was your only option. These were commonly found in public spaces, requiring coins to operate. Smartphones have made the search for a payphone a thing of the past.

Record Players

Listening to music often involved the ritual of selecting a record, placing it on the turntable, and carefully dropping the needle. The physical interaction with music added a layer of intimacy to the listening experience.

Learning Cursive Writing

Cursive writing was a fundamental part of elementary education, with hours spent mastering the art. The emphasis on digital literacy has decreased the focus on cursive in many schools. Cursive handwriting is becoming a lost art among younger generations.

Bank Tellers for Every Transaction

Banking often required a visit to the bank and interaction with a teller for deposits, withdrawals, and other transactions. Online banking and ATMs have transformed this process, making trips to the bank less frequent. The personal interaction in banking is a rare occurrence for Gen Z.

Buying Music Albums

Purchasing an entire album for one or two favorite songs was common practice. This often led to discovering other songs by the artist. The ability to buy or stream individual tracks has changed the way we consume music.

Waiting for Photos to Develop

The anticipation of waiting days or even weeks to see how photos turned out was part of the photography experience. Each shot was valuable, and surprises were common when finally viewing the developed pictures.