“Wokeness” is a word that gets tossed around a lot these days and has many people talking, especially Boomers. For many people in this generation, the changes in how we talk about race, gender, and everything in between are too much to handle. They’re not trying to be politically incorrect, it’s just a lot of changes happening all at once. Here are 25 reasons why some Boomers aren’t so keen to fall in line with wokeness.
The Old-School Approach
Boomers usually prefer the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach and that includes their attitude to society. They’ve seen many things work well over the decades and don’t understand why things need to change now. For them, sticking to tradition means sticking to stability, which is important in a world that seems to be spinning faster each day.
Feeling the Whirlwind
Change has always been part of life, but nowadays, it seems like we wake up to a new movement every morning. Many Boomers saw changes unfold much slower in the past, and today’s rapid-fire changes can be pretty exhausting. When yesterday’s news becomes today’s history so quickly, it’s no wonder some Boomers would rather ignore it all.
Pushing the Envelope
Speaking of change, some Boomers feel like young people are forcing change upon them, which can be pretty overwhelming. This sense of being rushed makes them want to put on the brakes, even if they’re completely for the suggested changes. They want to feel like they’re free to do what they want, and can you blame them?
What’s in a Name?
Remember when it was just “Mr.” and “Mrs.?” Now, there’s a whole dictionary of pronouns and terms to get right, which is pretty difficult to keep up with. Boomers often feel like they’re out of the loop with the constantly updating vocabulary, and they’re worried about slipping up. Accidentally using the wrong term can be embarrassing and stressful, which is sure to make any conversation tense.
Walking on Eggshells
Nobody wants to be the person who said the wrong thing, especially now that the stakes are so high. It’s hard to jump into conversations about sensitive topics without worrying that saying something that could lead to some serious backlash. Some Boomers would rather avoid getting involved at all, preferring to stay silent rather than risk the fallout.
Wrong Focus
Some Boomers feel that social movements focus too much on cultural issues, sidelining their economic concerns. It’s not that they don’t think other issues are important, but they think problems like retirement security or healthcare are overlooked. They feel like their needs are being ignored.
Losing Familiar Ground
Can you imagine what it feels like to have your favorite classic movies or TV shows suddenly being labeled as “outdated” or “problematic?” That’s what it’s like for Boomers as younger generations criticize popular media from the older generations’ time. When they lose these familiar cultural reference points, they feel like they’re losing part of their identity.
Different Strokes, Different Folk
What young people think is important might not be the same as someone who’s in a totally different stage of their lives. Boomers might care about the same thing, but their priorities might be on different issues. They sometimes feel like the younger generations just don’t get their struggles, especially not on a day-to-day basis.
Tuning In
Boomers usually stick to traditional news sources, like TV and newspapers, and these often give a pretty different view on wokeness than what’s on Twitter or Instagram. This can create a divide between their view of the world and their opinions. They might end up feeling like they’re out of touch or that mainstream media isn’t representing them.
Not So Techy
A lot of the most woke people are constantly online, so Boomers who aren’t as plugged into social media or the internet might feel like they’re out of the loop. After all, you can’t exactly join a conversation when you’re not even sure where it’s happening. This can make them feel pretty isolated from what’s going on currently.
Back In My Day…
Education has changed quite a bit since Boomers were in school, particularly over social issues. They might’ve learned some things as historical facts, but we’re questioning the same thing now, and that’s enough to make anyone feel confused. Boomers have to get used to this new version of history, which is pretty hard when it contradicts what they’ve believed all their lives.
Echo Chambers
Who you hang out with really affects what you think. If your friends and community aren’t talking about or even resistant to “wokeness,” then you’ll probably end up sharing the same views just because of your surroundings. Soon enough, it becomes quite hard to see the value or necessity of getting new beliefs.
Equity vs. Equality
It’s easy to get lost in terms like “equity” and “equality.” Lots of younger people are calling for “equity” instead of “equality,” and this can make Boomers feel a little uncomfortable. They might find it difficult to understand why these concepts matter today and why we’re moving away from traditional equality.
Who’s the Boss?
Lots of Boomers grew up with a clear-cut structure of who’s in charge and how things work. The new push to question everything and flatten hierarchies can feel pretty unstable for them. This move from a structured to a more “equal” approach gets unsettling, and many Boomers aren’t sure where they stand anymore.
Faith Matters
For Boomers whose values are closely linked to their religious beliefs, the new norms around marriage or gender can clash with their faith. It’s hard for them to get on board with all the changes, and they’re usually not ready to budge. They end up feeling stuck between staying true to their beliefs and trying to understand the new normal.
Honoring the Past
When Boomers see young people toppling statues and changing street names, it feels like they’re rewriting their history. Boomers see these symbols as links to the past, so seeing them questioned or removed feels like a personal loss. It’s no surprise that they get so defensive, as pretty much anyone would feel this way.
Political Football
Politics is more divided than ever, and wokeness is often caught in the crossfire. Many Boomers are tired of this constant back-and-forth with no real progress happening. They’re watching from the sidelines and find it hard to see the real points through all the political bickering. They’d rather things not be so black-and-white.
It’s Personal
Some younger people criticize Boomers for their old-school vibes because they think they’re politically incorrect or somehow wrong. But to older people, this can feel like a personal attack because they’ve spent a lifetime building their identities. They’d rather shut down than open up and face this questioning again.
All About Me
There’s no denying that a lot of wokeness focuses on individual identity over community values. For Boomers, this can be pretty annoying because they miss the days when it was about the group, not just the individual. They feel disconnected from the younger generations’ priorities as this is quite a big shift.
Just Say It
Boomers prefer talking plainly and simply. Many of them feel that the complicated way people dance around issues with “woke” language is pretty frustrating. They prefer it when people just get to the point without all the extra fluff and what they see as being unnecessary caution. They believe we should mean what we say and say what we mean.
Fair’s Fair
Many older people value the idea of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, and they worry that focusing too much on systemic barriers might undermine this whole idea. To them, it feels like people are saying hard work doesn’t pay off. They think that focusing too much on these challenges makes people lazy.
Trust Issues
With so much noise and so many extreme opinions on social media, it’s no surprise that some Boomers feel skeptical. They’re questioning the authenticity of what they’re seeing online, and they’re cautious about jumping on board with all the new movements that pop up overnight. They prefer reliable sources that have been double- and triple-checked.
The Good Old Days
It’s natural to feel nostalgic about your younger days, and many Boomers feel like things were simpler back then. Some of them find it difficult to get along with all those complicated social changes because they wish things could’ve just stayed the same. Back then, our values were much more straightforward.
Give Me Space
Boomers care a lot about their privacy, which isn’t something many modern movements understand. Many young people are constantly pushing for openness about personal views without any sense of privacy. When Boomers are pushed to share more than they feel comfortable with, it really puts them off.
Real Connections
Finally, nothing beats a real face-to-face chat for many Boomers, and they find online activism to be pointless. They care more about genuine connections with other people, where we build empathy and understanding by interacting with them instead of using screens or hashtags. They struggle to engage with woke campaigns, which are usually all digital.
19 Grim Realities of Dating After 50 That Are Often Overlooked
19 Grim Realities of Dating After 50 That Are Often Overlooked
26 Things That Will Be Extinct Because Millennials Refuse to Buy Them
26 Things That Will Be Extinct Because Millennials Refuse to Buy Them
24 Outdated Slang Terms You Absolutely Shouldn’t Be Using Anymore
24 Outdated Slang Terms You Absolutely Shouldn’t Be Using Anymore
25 Hardest Parts About Getting Older That No One Ever Talks About
25 Hardest Parts About Getting Older That No One Ever Talks About
