Andrey Popov - stock.adobe.com Every generation grows up with a certain set of unwritten social rules, and not all of those rules stand the test of time. In a thread on r/AskReddit, millennial redditors are discussing the societal norms they were conditioned to accept — and that they're gleefully watching younger generations reject. 1. Keeping a salary tightly guarded secret For decades, compensation was considered a taboo topic to discuss with colleagues. Now, although millennials were arguably the first to explore salary transparency, new generations are taking it a step further, realizing that financial transparency is the most effective tool they have for ensuring fair treatment in the workplace. Comment in r/AskReddit I'm in a union plant, and one of the office workers mentioned she was trying to get a better pay rate. I asked her what she made, and she hemmed and hawwed until I said it would only help get her more support if it was low. It was less than me! For the work she did, I expected her to make more. Salary, sure but more! Comment in r/AskReddit Nothing scares a bad boss more than a group of employees who talk to each other. 2. Pretending to be available around the clock Today's young professionals are drawing a hard line between their office hours and their personal lives, refusing to answer messages once they officially log off. Comment in r/AskReddit Grind culture. Not worth it; no matter how much time you put in a job, they'll still throw you out without a real reason whenever there's a vibe shift. Comment in r/AskReddit This. Hated when people just expect you to answer a text message, email or phone call any time and condemn you as lazy if you don't. Seeing younger people assert their boundaries is kind of healing. 3. Accepting exhaustion as the default setting Younger generations are pushing back against the idea that burnout is a baseline requirement of adulthood. Comment in r/AskReddit The idea that being exhausted all the time was just part of being a responsible adult. Working through lunch, answering emails after hours, never using your PTO, coming in sick — somehow all of that was treated like evidence that you had a “good work ethic.” I’m glad younger people are asking a very reasonable question: if a job requires you to sacrifice your health and your entire life just to prove you care, maybe the problem isn’t your work ethic. Comment in r/AskReddit Young people addressing their mental well-being and seeking help when needed without shame is a huge advancement. 4. Tolerating bad behavior from customers Retail and food service workers have long been expected to keep smiling, even when customers are openly rude or disrespectful. Now these workers are rewriting the rulebook, making it clear what they will and won't accept from customers. Comment in r/AskReddit I love seeing younger retail/service workers take down and just not cater to rude customers. I never would have dared. Comment in r/AskReddit During my retail days, someone told me I was their favorite manager because I always backed them up whenever a customer was being disrespectful. It made me happy because no one had my back when I had to deal with jerks. 5. Taking childhood cruelty to mean the bully has a crush Old playground wisdom once dictated that when a child teased another, it was a sign of a hidden crush. Society is finally discarding this narrative, recognizing that kindness should never be disguised as hostility. Comment in r/AskReddit Yes! I was told that so many times and I hated it. I. Hindsight, I dislike it even more because it inoculates you with an idea that love may look like abuse. Comment in r/AskReddit That phrase really did a shocking amount of damage for something adults said so casually. Imagine teaching a kid that being picked on might secretly be affection, then acting surprised when they grow up confused about what healthy relationships look like 💀 6. Wearing heels all night These days, people are more open to choosing shoes that let them walk, dance, and enjoy the night without feeling like they have to sacrifice comfort for the look. Comment in r/AskReddit Women not having to wear heels to go out. Seeing young women wearing sneakers to go out dancing was liberating. Comment in r/AskReddit When I was in college, upscale clubs would require women to wear heels. 7. Chasing empty titles for no reason Climbing the corporate ladder was once viewed as the ultimate goal, but a new wave of employees is calculating the true cost of career advancement and deciding to protect their peace. Comment in r/AskReddit Personally, I think we were kind of taught to put up with anything and everything at work so it is nice seeing these new generations put an end into that. Also, I read somewhere that Gen Z is turning down promotions because they don’t value the extra five dollars an hour more than they do work life balance. Comment in r/AskReddit Our hard work was only rewarded with more work. I completely agree with you. I read that Gen Z is turning down promotions because they don’t value the extra five dollars an hour more than they do their work life balance, which honestly is really refreshing to see. If this AI thing has taught us anything I think it’s that we’re all just another number in corporate America. Comment in r/AskReddit Yup, the amount of roles that just gets piled on when you sign up for a low paying job is insulting. The person who hired me quit and suddenly her job is being pushed on to me, no increase in pay for me or my other coworker who's having to take on the extra work load. Been like this at every job I've ever been to, they'll just squeeze you until you burn out and then replace you before your second foot is out the door. 8. Painful daily skincare regimens A new generation of conscious consumers is embracing gentler skincare formulas that prioritize genuine skin health over intense exfoliation. Comment in r/AskReddit If you are sane and have robust skin and you don't seem to be having problems it'd probably fine. As a then-undiagnosed ADHD kid with sensitive skin and a high pain tolerance who thought I just needed to try harder to get acceptable skin I basically did the most appalling but enthusiastic amateur dermabrasion/sandblasting that would have cost a building it's historic rating and I looked like badly cooked shellfish. And I... kept it... for a weirdly long time. Comment in r/AskReddit I’m glad the St. Ives apricot scrub and Stride pads are all but forgotten. It was a hard decade for skin barriers As younger generations continue to question the status quo, it's clear that setting workplace boundaries and demanding mutual respect are no longer viewed as rebellious acts — they're becoming the new standard. What unwritten rules are you happy to see fade? Read the full discussion in r/AskReddit, and find more conversations like this in r/Millennials, r/GenZ, and r/CasualConversation. This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.