Ok boomer
There’s a new meme floating around the internet. In response to someone saying something condescending, ignorant, racist or out of touch Gen Z coined the response “Ok boomer.” It’s a digital eye-roll. It’s flippant and irreverent. And it’s perfect.
A fair number of people are quite incensed about it. There is no end to opinion pieces decrying how this is “generational warfare” and lumps all older people into the same boat. The more incensed these denouncements of the phrase get the more they clearly are the meme’s target. If you’ve livid over a phrase kids are using on the internet but not about any of the issues these same kids are worried about, that have actual real world consequences, then yeah, “okay boomer.”
This phrase isn’t strictly a denouncement of an entire generation. Some Gen-Xers think they’re as much to blame as anyone. It’s a denouncement of an attitude of entitlement. Those this phrase is directed at feel people need to ‘pull themselves up by their bootstraps’ and stop complaining. They feel people aren’t owed anything if it personally costs them money but they also feel they are owed respect (ie obedience and reverence, not actual respect)…because? Anyone regardless of age can be a boomer.
It also IS a denouncement of an entire generation. Though not just Baby Boomers. It’s a call to action for them to get off their butts and take the ones among them who are burning the whole system down to task. The younger generations are coming into their power but the Boomers still have it. Their unwillingness to confront the problems we face have let us get where we are.
Boomers run in power has seen the country divided by social issues that shouldn’t be divisive. Gay rights, abortion, drugs, etc. Boomers have argued over these things all the while ignoring what’s happening in the background. The systems underlining our Democracy are being dismantled. The vibrant middle class has been destroyed. The world is catching on fire. Their parents generation eradicated Polio but now people won’t get vaccinated?
What makes this phrase so poignant is how it disarms the usual pattern. Normally, someone on the outside of the power structure raises a concern. Then those in power, typically, but not limited to Boomers, dismiss the concern. They divert the debate to something irrelevant or in some way they show they aren’t taking the person seriously or show they have no interest in understanding the matter. Okay boomer is equally dismissive but its the only response left. When a person shows they aren’t going to engage with you in good faith you are under no obligation to keep trying to work with them.
If you’ve ever gotten mad about someone wanting to do something that doesn’t effect you but not gotten mad about climate change, which effects everybody, maybe it’s time to take a look in the mirror. There’s an election coming up next year. If you’ve ever not voted because it doesn’t matter or just voted Republican because they’re “your team” maybe its time to rethink your approach. The people who’ve done all this damage to our Democracy, our Economy and our Environment assume your support because you’re not paying attention. That needs to stop.
Otherwise, ok boomer.
