Millennials Are Sharing The ‘Older Person’ Hills They’ll Die On, And Boomers May Have A Point About These

As a millennial myself, I’m sometimes a little nervous to voice opinions that make me sound approximately 1,000 years old. Like, when did indoor spaces start blaring music so loudly? And why are the lights so bright?! Or worse, so dim that I can’t read anything?! Well, it turns out I’m not alone. Recently, redditor u/Thel200ster asked the r/Millennials community to share the “older adult” opinions they will always defend. Here are some of their hot takes.

1. “No, you cannot listen to music/videos/calls/whatever in public without headphones.”

“I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office and a woman (likely another millennial) was FaceTiming without headphones — biggest pet peeve ever.”

2. “I hate downloading an app for every frickin’ thing. I’m not clogging up my phone just for one baseball game ticket. Email me a PDF of my ticket.”

3. “New car headlights are too damn bright.”

—u/pnwerewolf
”I live in New York City and don’t drive often, and one of the last times I drove, I was like, “What is happening?!” It’s like everyone has their high beams on all the time. Add to that the fact that every car is a dang SUV, so they’re all shining RIGHT IN YOUR EYEBALLS.”—u/Thel200ste

4. “Not everything needs to be recorded/photographed and posted online, whether it’s for good, like taking excessive vacation pictures, or for bad, like recording arguments between strangers.”

5. “Please give me a real menu. I understood during COVID, but I really hate having to try to scroll through a whole menu on my tiny ass phone, especially if it’s just a PDF of their old menu that has a tiny font and hasn’t been adapted for mobile view at all. If you’re going to have a QR code for a menu, at least make sure it’s mobile-friendly. And NO, I will not download your app.”

“I’m definitely with Boomers on this one. If I wanna look at the menu before I get to the restaurant, whatever, but I wanna have a physical menu when I get there.”

6. “Manners go a long way. Having and using manners makes you feel good. It is about respecting other human beings and showing them that you do. It feels good to be polite, respectful, and generous. Manners are not disingenuous. They help others feel welcome, comfortable, appreciated, and at ease. Always use “please” and “thank you” and hold doors open for people. Acknowledge others and be considerate of other people. Wish others well. Don’t be afraid to smile first. Think of how your actions impact others. Think of the next person. Be kind. Help others feel appreciated for sharing this existence with you.”

7. “Stop speeding in neighborhoods!”

“Also, stop blatantly running red lights. We all got places to be, but fuck, stop trying to kill everyone else to get there.”

8. “I am not instantly available at any waking moment just because it is technically possible for me to see your message immediately on my electronic device. If we didn’t have prior plans to be in contact, please allow 24–48 hours for a response to all non-emergency communications.”

9. “The way that Gen Z makes hearts with their hands makes me deeply unsettled.”

—u/TheRainbowConnection

10. “If I say something to you, I’d like an acknowledgment that you heard me.”

11. “I get so angry when I see people using their phone in their hand while driving and not paying attention to the road. Get a phone mount.”

“Or better yet — just leave it alone! You’re driving a car, which is the statistically most dangerous thing by LEAPS AND BOUNDS that people do regularly! They won’t go in the ocean because they’re afraid of sharks, but they’ll watch The Dark Knight while going 90 mph.”

12. “My black leggings will have to be pulled from my cold, dead hands.”

13. “I hate dealing with touchscreen keyboards. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to type on them nearly as fast as I can on a physical keyboard.”

14. “I wish things had fewer unnecessary buttons. There are a hundred functions, but I’d rather it do two functions well and last twice as long. More isn’t always better.”

“This right here. A car doesn’t need a giant touchscreen bullshit infotainment system. I just want a simple few buttons to push. Maybe a screen for the backup camera, as that seems to be required by law.”

15. “Tips should be for sit-down meals in restaurants only. I should not be asked to tip at random places like a clothing store or when I get my oil changed.”

16. “I am so fucking tired of advertisements. They don’t work on me. I just disregard them. Stop bombarding me. If I was going to use your product or previously did and you send me ads, I’ll find something else.”

“The ‘you’ve left something in your cart’ email. Like yes, yes, I have. And it was on purpose.”

17. “Writing notes by hand on paper helps me remember better than typing notes. Paper books are better than Kindles for the same reason — I remember what I’m reading and where things are on the page. I miss magazines and how they smelled and getting a big fat Cosmo or Rolling Stone in the mail, knowing I had reading material for at least a week and could cut up the pages for lookbooks or collages.”

18. “It’s crew/no-show socks for me. I don’t like how the higher ones cut off circulation.”

“I’m with you. They also make my legs and ankles itch and are way too hot in summer. No, thank you.”

19. “There is no reason my appliance or television needs an internet connection.”

“I got a really nice electric kettle for my birthday. It has an app. The app’s only purpose is to help you connect the kettle to Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi is only there to download software updates. The software updates have nothing to do with the temperature of the water. Please, I just need it to make my daily caffeine.”—u/Outofwlrds

20. “Pajama pants as everyday fashion is the dumbest thing.”

21. “We do not need to follow every single trend we see on the internet. Just because it’s a trend does not mean you must do it. No, you don’t need the new, expensive, super big gulp metal cup that comes in an array of colors. No, you don’t need to buy a bunch of clear plastic/glass containers to restock your fridge/pantry when food ALREADY comes in containers. No, you don’t need a 100-step skincare routine.”

“Trends come and go, and thanks to our ever-shortening attention spans, they go almost as soon as they come.

Pretty soon, people will regret spending all their time and money on those trends and then move on to the next big trend that will leave them equally, if not more, unfulfilled.

Just be happy with what you have.”

22. “My hill is if I say I’m going to play video games or just relax all day, that means that’s my plan. I will not work an extra shift for you; I am not available for plans; I have plans. Just because you think they are dumb doesn’t mean I’m changing them.”

23. “Toddlers and babies do NOT need to be attached to a phone all day, every day, especially if you have to fight and beg to get your OWN phone back from them. Establish rules with your kids and stop trying to be their friend because you ‘feel bad for them.’ You’re the parent! It’s up to you to parent, not a screen. (Disclaimer: I don’t have any kids of my own, but I see way too many parents just handing their babies a phone so they don’t have to deal with them.)”

What are some “older person” opinions you agree with? Tell us about them in the comments or fill out this anonymous form!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length/clarity.