Things happen fast on the internet, and so it was that “Ok
Boomer” almost went unnoticed.
Between wrapping my head around the concept of VSCO girls
and contemplating the screaming lady/cat meme, I’ve sort of had a full plate
these last few weeks. But the “Ok Boomer” meme dropped hard last week and is
still making the rounds of mainstream media. Maureen Dowd hit it in the New York Times this weekend, but the
phrase has not yet made it to the “Today” show, so the bit is still live.
“Ok Boomer” is the newest technique deployed by Millennials
and Gen Zers when confronted by antiquated notions from the self-absorbed Baby
Boomer generation — now solidly entrenched in old age and more convinced than
ever of their own superiority.
So now, at Thanksgiving, when a Boomer uncle says, “Why
don’t you just go out there, pound the pavement and get yourself a good job?”
or “What do you mean you don’t have health insurance?” or “By the time I was
your age I had already bought my first house,” instead of explaining it all to
him, the quick-witted millennial can roll her eyes and say, “Ok Boomer.”
It’s sort of like saying, “Whatever,” except targeted
specifically to people who remember where they were when Kennedy was shot.
Not all of them were at Woodstock, you know. Some of them
were dumping sodas on the heads of the Greensboro Four, protesting the
integration of their schools and burning Beatles albums.
But I will remind you that these Boomers, the children of
the Greatest Generation, were handed the greatest run of prosperity in modern
history. And yes, huge advances have been made in the arts, technology and other
fields during their reign. But it’s also true that everything shitty right now
started on their watch.
Me, I’m Gen X, so I think the whole thing is hilarious. Go
ahead and disagree with me, but I’m pretty sure you know how I’ll reply.
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oh, great, another reason to bash fellow human beings. Nope. Hate the hostility this sneering catch-phrase represents. And as far as blaming the generation before it for presents ills…every generation has done that. So don’t be throwing crap at someone older than you. And there’s never a reason to look down on those who are younger than you; if we can’t help each other along the road, no matter where we are in life, we have fucking lost the way.