Many of the quirks of the “old-people” mindset are caused by a small-farm mentality.

They basically don’t eat much protein: they’re afraid that eating too many eggs will harm their bodies. Even when they do want eggs, they’ll have to rely on connections to buy “local/free-range” eggs. After going through all that trouble, their total intake ends up being basically zero.
Meat prices have reached five yuan per jin. Frying a jin of meat is not only faster, but also cheaper than frying a plate of vegetables. Every day they only chase after plain rice, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables—so thin they look like emaciated, with diabetes and high blood pressure. They believe that eating meat is harmful, that meat is hard to digest, and that eating meat makes you gain weight.
They insist on hand-washing clothes, thinking that their little bit of skill is comparable to industrial machines like washing machines. As long as they feel it’s clean in their minds, then it’s clean.
They refuse tumble dryers and refuse dishwashers. Every day they have endless debates about the sun’s ten thousand benefits, and the hundred highly efficient ways of washing dishes by hand (using human hands).
They only work hard without thinking—torturing themselves from 5 in the morning until 10 at night. In the end, they firmly tell themselves, “Work hard and you’ll succeed,” without ever studying methodology, productivity, or scientific development.