Last week at the community center, while waiting for my chess partner Bob to make his move, I noticed something peculiar.

A young man, maybe 25, walked past our table wearing what looked like an expensive watch. Bob, who spent 40 years selling insurance like me, immediately perked up and nodded approvingly. “Now that’s a proper timepiece,” he said. The young man’s friend, however, just laughed and asked why he didn’t check his phone like everyone else.

That moment got me thinking about all the things my generation once considered impressive that now seem to fly right over younger folks’ heads.

After 35 years in middle management at an insurance company, I learned plenty about what people value, and let me tell you, times have certainly changed. These status symbols we once chased? Well, they seem to mostly just appeal to those of us with gray hair now.

Let’s get into seven of them. 

1) A spotless, rarely-driven luxury car in the garage

Remember when having a pristine Cadillac or Lincoln that only came out on Sundays was the ultimate sign you’d made it?

My neighbor still has his 1995 BMW that he washes every Saturday morning like clockwork, despite driving it maybe twice a month. Meanwhile, my daughter Sarah and her husband share one practical car and use ride-sharing apps without a second thought.

Back when I was climbing the corporate ladder, that shiny car in the driveway meant something. It told the world you were successful, responsible, established.

These days? It seems young professionals are more likely to brag about not owning a car at all. They talk about their carbon footprint and the convenience of not dealing with parking.

2) China cabinets full of “good” dishes

Walk into any estate sale, and you’ll find them: massive china cabinets stuffed with wedding china that’s been used maybe a dozen times in 40 years.

My wife and I have a set we received for our wedding, displayed prominently in our dining room. We used to save them for “special occasions” that rarely seemed special enough. You know what I discovered after downsizing our home? Experiences matter more than possessions.

Our grandchildren don’t care if they’re eating pancakes off fine china or paper plates during our Sunday visits. They care that Grandpa makes them every week without fail.

The younger generation figured this out faster than we did. They’d rather spend money on a trip to Thailand than on dishes that sit behind glass collecting dust.

3) Belonging to the country club

There was a time when country club membership was the ticket to the right social circles. It’s where deals were made, connections formed, and status displayed.

I knew guys at the insurance company who stretched their budgets thin just to afford those monthly dues, believing it was an investment in their career.

But here’s what I’ve noticed: My son Michael networks at coffee shops and co-working spaces. His professional connections come from LinkedIn and industry Slack channels, not from the nineteenth hole.

The country club model of forced exclusivity doesn’t impress a generation that values accessibility and authenticity. They’d rather join a climbing gym where the CEO might be belaying next to a barista.

4) Encyclopedia sets and leather-bound books

I’ll never forget the day we bought our Encyclopedia Britannica set in 1987. Those burgundy volumes with gold lettering represented knowledge, culture, and a commitment to our children’s education.

We were so proud, displaying them prominently in the living room like trophies.

Fast forward to last month when I was helping my youngest grandchild with homework. Everything we needed was on her tablet. Infinite information at her fingertips, updated constantly, with videos and interactive features those encyclopedias could never match.

Those beautiful books I once treasured? They’re now mostly sold by the pound at used book stores. The status they once conferred has been replaced by the ability to fact-check anything instantly on your phone.

5) Formal living rooms nobody uses

Growing up in Ohio as one of five kids, we had one room in our small house that was off-limits except for special occasions: the living room.

Plastic-covered furniture, carpet you weren’t supposed to walk on, and an atmosphere that screamed, “We have nice things!” Even after working my way up from claims adjuster, when we finally bought a house with a formal living room, we did the same thing.

What a waste. Young families today are tearing down walls to create open concepts where life actually happens. They want kitchens that flow into living spaces where kids can do homework while dinner’s cooking.

6) Monogrammed everything

Towels, handkerchiefs, cufflinks, briefcases, if it could be monogrammed, our generation put our initials on it. It was subtle (or not so subtle) way of marking our territory, of saying, “This is mine, and it’s important enough to personalize.”

I still have a monogrammed briefcase from about 30 years ago. And back then, those three letters felt like they meant something.

The younger crowd? They’re more likely to put stickers on their laptops or customize their phone cases with memes. Personal expression for them isn’t about formal initials in Times New Roman. It’s about showing personality, interests, and humor. Their identity markers are fluid and changeable, not embossed in leather for eternity.

7) Paper appointment books and Rolodexes

Up until about ten years ago, I carried a leather-bound appointment book everywhere. There was something satisfying about physically writing down appointments, crossing off completed tasks, and flipping through pages of my carefully managed time.

My Rolodex at the office was legendary, organized perfectly with business cards collected over decades.

You should see the looks I get now when I pull out my pocket calendar at the community center. “Farley, just put it in your phone!” they say. But for many of us over 60, that physical book represents control, organization, and a tangible connection to our commitments.

We grew up believing that important people had full appointment books and extensive contact lists. Now? There’s an app for that, and nobody’s impressed by your filing system.

Final thoughts 

Status symbols change with the times, but what really impresses people, at any age, hasn’t changed much at all. It’s being present, being genuine, and being willing to adapt.

So here’s my question for you: What status symbol from your past are you still holding onto? And more importantly, is it still serving you, or just taking up space in your garage?