Every generation has its rules—unspoken codes of conduct that feel like gospel… until they don’t. For Boomers and Gen X, social norms like RSVPing on time, using voicemail, or avoiding “taboo” topics at the dinner table were just how you showed respect. But to Gen Z, those rules feel outdated, performative, and sometimes just plain unnecessary.
This isn’t about disrespect—it’s about rewriting social scripts to make room for authenticity, boundaries, and a little chaos. Gen Z didn’t just ditch the playbook—they’re editing it in real time. Here are 15 social norms Boomers and Gen X still swear by… that Gen Z is completely over.
1. Waiting To Call After Getting Someone’s Number
According to The Independent, Gen Z is increasingly rejecting traditional dating norms like the “three-day rule.” That calculation of exactly how many days to wait before calling to avoid seeming desperate is completely foreign to Gen Z. In today’s world of instant messaging, the idea of strategically delaying communication feels manipulative and game-like rather than respectful.
For younger generations, authenticity trumps these outdated dating rituals. If you’re interested, why pretend you’re not? Gen Z values direct communication and sees no point in artificial waiting periods that only create anxiety. The focus has shifted to genuine connection rather than following arbitrary rules designed to maintain some illusion of cool detachment.
2. Dressing Up For Air Travel
You’ve seen those old photos of people boarding planes in their Sunday best—suits, dresses, and polished shoes just to sit in a cramped seat for hours. Older generations still believe air travel warrants formal attire, as if the airplane cabin were some exclusive social club rather than a flying bus.
As noted by Farfetch, Gen Z prioritizes comfort over formality when traveling, opting for casual, functional attire like hoodies and sneakers instead of traditional formal wear. Why suffer in restrictive clothing when you’re already dealing with security lines, delayed flights, and limited legroom? The performative aspect of dressing up for strangers you’ll never see again seems pointless to a generation that values function over formality.
3. Not Discussing Salary With Coworkers
The taboo against sharing what you earn runs deep among Boomers and Gen X, who were taught that salary discussions are inappropriate and unprofessional. This silence was framed as politeness but effectively kept people in the dark about their market value and potential wage discrimination.
Gen Z has flipped this script completely, recognizing that pay secrecy primarily benefits employers. They’re much more likely to openly discuss compensation with peers, understanding that transparency is a powerful tool for workplace equity. By sharing salary information, they’re collectively gaining leverage and challenging systems that thrive on financial privacy. The question has shifted from “Why would you share that?” to “Why wouldn’t you?”
4. Thank You Cards Are A Must
Older generations insist there’s no substitute for a handwritten thank you note after receiving a gift or attending a special event. The ritual of purchasing cards, writing messages, finding stamps, and making a special trip to the mailbox is viewed as the only proper way to express gratitude.
Gen Z finds this formality excessive and environmentally wasteful when a heartfelt text or personalized message works just as well. They recognize genuine appreciation doesn’t require specific stationery or postal services. Digital thanks can be just as thoughtful and meaningful—plus they arrive immediately rather than days later. The emphasis has shifted from following proper etiquette to communicating authentic gratitude in whatever form feels most natural.
5. Keeping Relationships Off Social Media Until They’re “Official”
For Boomers and Gen X, there’s a proper timeline for relationship milestones, including when it’s appropriate to share your romantic status with the wider world. Posting photos or mentioning a new partner too early was once considered presumptuous or jinxing a budding relationship.
According to MyWellbeing, Gen Z integrates social media into their romantic lives more fluidly, often sharing aspects of their relationships without adhering to rigid milestones. The distinction between “talking,” “seeing each other,” and being “official” matters less when your life is already documented online. Their approach is more fluid and less concerned with rigid relationship categories or worrying about what others might think of a relationship’s trajectory.
6. Following The Traditional Career Ladder
Older generations were taught success meant climbing a predictable ladder at one or two companies: starting at entry-level, earning promotions, and eventually reaching management. Job-hopping was stigmatized as showing a lack of loyalty or commitment to your employer.
Gen Z views careers as self-directed journeys rather than predetermined paths. They’re comfortable changing jobs every year or two, pursuing side hustles, and prioritizing growth opportunities over tenure. This generation recognized early that company loyalty rarely pays off in an era of shrinking benefits and stagnant wages. Instead of waiting for promotions, they’re creating their own advancement by moving between organizations and developing diverse skill sets that increase their market value.
7. Separating Work Life From Personal Identity
Boomers and Gen X were taught to maintain strict boundaries between their professional and personal lives. You had your “work self” and your “real self,” and mixing the two was considered unprofessional. Sharing personal struggles or expressing individuality at work was seen as inappropriate.
Gen Z brings their whole selves to work and expects environments that accommodate authentic expression. They’re more likely to discuss mental health challenges with managers, incorporate personal passions into their work, and question toxic workplace norms. Rather than compartmentalizing their identity to fit rigid professional expectations, they’re reshaping workplaces to accommodate human complexity. The goal isn’t work-life balance but work-life integration that honors their complete humanity.
8. The Taboo Against Living With Parents After College
For older generations, moving out after college was non-negotiable—a critical rite of passage into real adulthood. Living with parents past your early twenties carried a stigma of failure or arrested development, regardless of financial realities or cultural background.
Gen Z has pragmatically reassessed this norm in the face of skyrocketing housing costs, student debt, and economic uncertainty. They recognize that pooling resources with family can be a smart financial strategy rather than a mark of immaturity. Many use this arrangement to build savings, launch businesses, or pursue additional education instead of spending most of their income on rent. What matters isn’t your address but whether you’re making intentional choices about your future.
9. Rigid Gender Roles At Social Gatherings
Boomers and Gen X often unconsciously fall into gendered patterns at social events—women gathering in the kitchen while men cluster around the TV or grill. These divisions were so normalized that many didn’t even question why gatherings naturally segregated along gender lines.
Gen Z finds these automatic separations bizarre and limiting rather than natural or comfortable. They gravitate toward mixed-gender conversations based on shared interests rather than prescribed social roles. The idea that your chromosomes should determine whether you discuss recipes or sports scores seems absurdly outdated to a generation raised with more fluid gender expectations. Social spaces are becoming more integrated as younger people organize gatherings around activities and topics rather than gendered traditions.
10. Needing A Formal Invitation To Visit Someone’s Home
The protocol for social visits once involved advance planning, specific invitations, and clear start and end times. Dropping by unannounced was considered rude, and staying too long without a formal extension of the visit was a social faux pas.
Gen Z has embraced a much more spontaneous approach to socializing, with casual “you around?” texts replacing formal invitations. Their social gatherings tend to be more fluid, with friends flowing in and out as their schedules allow rather than arriving and departing at predetermined times. This flexibility reflects a generation comfortable with uncertainty and less concerned with traditional hosting roles. Connections are maintained through continuous digital conversation that naturally extends into in-person hangouts without clear boundaries.
11. The Stigma Around Mental Health Struggles
Older generations were taught to keep psychological challenges private—discussing therapy or mental health struggles was taboo and potentially damaging to one’s reputation. The expectation was to project strength and stability regardless of your internal reality.
Gen Z has dramatically shifted this narrative by normalizing mental health conversations in everyday life. They discuss therapy recommendations as casually as restaurant suggestions and openly share coping strategies for anxiety or depression. This transparency has transformed mental health from a shameful secret to a universal aspect of human experience. By refusing to stigmatize psychological struggles, they’re creating communities where seeking help is viewed as strength rather than weakness.
12. Avoiding Politics In Casual Conversation
“Never discuss politics or religion in polite company” was a cardinal rule for Boomers and Gen X. Political discussions were considered too divisive for casual settings and best reserved for private conversations with like-minded individuals.
Gen Z finds this political avoidance both impossible and undesirable in a world where fundamental rights are constantly under debate. They recognize that the luxury of avoiding political topics often correlates with privilege—those least affected by policies can most easily ignore them. Rather than maintaining surface-level harmony, younger generations prefer authentic exchanges about important issues, even when disagreement arises. They’ve rejected the idea that meaningful connection requires avoiding difficult subjects.
13. Working A Job You Hate Just To Pay The Bills
Older generations often embraced the “work to live” mentality—enduring unsatisfying jobs for decades because financial stability and benefits outweighed personal fulfillment. Complaining about your job was normal, but leaving without another offer was considered reckless.
Gen Z approaches work with different priorities, often valuing purpose and well-being over traditional markers of success. They’re more likely to quit toxic environments, take career breaks, or choose lower-paying work that aligns with their values. Having witnessed parents sacrifice health and happiness for jobs that ultimately offered little security, younger workers are questioning whether the trade-off is worth it. The great resignation wasn’t just about pandemic burnout—it reflected a fundamental shift in how work fits into a meaningful life.
14. Respecting Institutions Simply Because They’re Established
Boomers and Gen X were raised to respect authority figures and established institutions based on their longevity and position alone. Questioning systems—whether educational, religious, governmental, or corporate—was often viewed as disrespectful or rebellious rather than necessary critical thinking.
Gen Z has grown up watching institutions fail to address critical challenges from climate change to economic inequality, ruining blind faith in established systems. They judge organizations based on actions and impact rather than tradition or authority. This skepticism isn’t cynicism but a demand for accountability and relevance in a rapidly changing world. The question isn’t “How long has this institution existed?” but “What purpose does it serve today and who benefits from it?”
