5 ms·

Why Gen Z’s 'ok boomer' retort–and the responses to it–are so powerful

ThrowawayR2 7y ago
I must say, as the child of immigrants, I'm mystified at why "They don’t get that Gen Z is going to be the first generation that has a lower quality of life than those prior." is seen as a valid complaint. Is it some kind of American-only thing? The country of my forefathers had its cities leveled and millions of deaths in a war and, so those that survived it and the chaotic aftermath (which includes my parents) definitely had a lower quality of life than the preceding generation. And given the way the world is changing, the possibility of it happening again doesn't seem so remote as it once did. I can't recall ever having any certainty of the future being better than the past.
- anigbrowl 7y ago
  The last time the US saw across-the-board declines in the quality of life was during the Civil War, so yes. Also, American social scientists fetishize generational differences to an extreme degree, possibly because it allows for easy and relatively non-controversial statistical analyses.
- krapp 7y ago
  Assuming you're talking about World War 2, the US not only went through that relatively unscathed, but also made a ton of money bankrolling the reconstruction of Europe, Russia and Japan. So yes, it's basically a US thing.
  - masonic 7y ago
    the US not only went through that relatively unscathed Well, sure, if you ignore the over 400,000 combat dead... which was more than double France's losses, and also greater than England's. Bear in mind that's mostly young men who never saw their peak earnings years, so consider their economic impact as well.
    - krapp 7y ago
      relatively unscathed. The rest of the world had their cities burned to the ground, and their infrastructures and economies destroyed. Russia lost millions of people. Japan was victim to the only atomic bombs thus far used in warfare. What the US went through, comparatively, while not nothing, was still a cakewalk.
- weare138 7y ago
  The issue is that many of the Baby Boomer generation seem unaware of this fact or just don't seem to care.
mvuijlst 7y ago
It's a bit facile. The argument is basically "if you're offended by it, then you're the kind of person it's meant for". Let's just see how that would fly with "ok bitch". Or "ok [insert epithet of choice]", for that matter.
- justForFun69 7y ago
  I find this whole getting upset over “ok boomer” thing hilarious! Older people (including boomers) have been complaining for a long time about PC culture. Now, they are upset because the younger generation isn’t being PC with them. That is ironic!!!
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
uberman 7y ago
This quote from the article exemplifies why this term is a problem: "If you have to say ‘the n-word’ you know it’s worse than ‘Boomer’, you moldy sentient banana." As used in the context of the article, "boomer" is a clear cut case of othering, just like any of the more traditionally offensive terms used to other. No, I am not technically a "baby boomer". I do however feel that ageist comments just like racist and sexist comments should be called out as inappropriate. Whatever the "ist" is that is the genesis of the label, it is irrelevant. I would rather not be called by some label used to other me with hostility and I am sure most would agree with that. There are lots of terms tossed around today that are used with hostility that currently fly under the radar of what is unacceptable. Unfortunately, we have found a new one to use.
- justForFun69 7y ago
  So older people having being using millennials as a derogatory term for years. If someone complained they were a millennial PC baby. Now boomers are being PC babies? That is hilarious!
  - uberman 7y ago
    I don't think the issue that anyone has is being identified with a demographic, be they "Boomer", "Gen-X", "Gen-y" like myself or "Millennial". The heart of why it is offensive is exactly what gets tacked on implicitly or explicitly like your "PC baby" comment. Some members of group "A" using a slight against the members of group "B" does not give some members of group "B" a free pass to reciprocate. Both slights are wrong. This is no different than the systemic waves of racism that have plagued US immigration for a half-dozen generations. What I find most depressing is that a generation so often connected with "woke-ness", "post-racial", and "post-gender" ideas in the end is no different than any other generation. Once their "other" is found they will apparently delight in poking at it with feigned ignorance of the offence they cause.
    - justForFun69 7y ago
      I think you need some South Park in your life.
ohiovr 7y ago
There is something ugly about automatic contempt of 74.1 million people.

I must say, as the child of immigrants, I'm mystified at why "They don’t get that Gen Z is going to be the first generation that has a lower quality of life than those prior." is seen as a valid complaint. Is it some kind of American-only thing? The country of my forefathers had its cities leveled and millions of deaths in a war and, so those that survived it and the chaotic aftermath (which includes my parents) definitely had a lower quality of life than the preceding generation. And given the way the world is changing, the possibility of it happening again doesn't seem so remote as it once did. I can't recall ever having any certainty of the future being better than the past.

anigbrowl 7y ago
The last time the US saw across-the-board declines in the quality of life was during the Civil War, so yes. Also, American social scientists fetishize generational differences to an extreme degree, possibly because it allows for easy and relatively non-controversial statistical analyses.
krapp 7y ago
Assuming you're talking about World War 2, the US not only went through that relatively unscathed, but also made a ton of money bankrolling the reconstruction of Europe, Russia and Japan. So yes, it's basically a US thing.
- masonic 7y ago
  the US not only went through that relatively unscathed Well, sure, if you ignore the over 400,000 combat dead... which was more than double France's losses, and also greater than England's. Bear in mind that's mostly young men who never saw their peak earnings years, so consider their economic impact as well.
  - krapp 7y ago
    relatively unscathed. The rest of the world had their cities burned to the ground, and their infrastructures and economies destroyed. Russia lost millions of people. Japan was victim to the only atomic bombs thus far used in warfare. What the US went through, comparatively, while not nothing, was still a cakewalk.
weare138 7y ago
The issue is that many of the Baby Boomer generation seem unaware of this fact or just don't seem to care.

mvuijlst 7y ago

It's a bit facile. The argument is basically "if you're offended by it, then you're the kind of person it's meant for". Let's just see how that would fly with "ok bitch". Or "ok [insert epithet of choice]", for that matter.

justForFun69 7y ago
I find this whole getting upset over “ok boomer” thing hilarious! Older people (including boomers) have been complaining for a long time about PC culture. Now, they are upset because the younger generation isn’t being PC with them. That is ironic!!!
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

uberman 7y ago

This quote from the article exemplifies why this term is a problem: "If you have to say ‘the n-word’ you know it’s worse than ‘Boomer’, you moldy sentient banana." As used in the context of the article, "boomer" is a clear cut case of othering, just like any of the more traditionally offensive terms used to other. No, I am not technically a "baby boomer". I do however feel that ageist comments just like racist and sexist comments should be called out as inappropriate. Whatever the "ist" is that is the genesis of the label, it is irrelevant. I would rather not be called by some label used to other me with hostility and I am sure most would agree with that. There are lots of terms tossed around today that are used with hostility that currently fly under the radar of what is unacceptable. Unfortunately, we have found a new one to use.

justForFun69 7y ago
So older people having being using millennials as a derogatory term for years. If someone complained they were a millennial PC baby. Now boomers are being PC babies? That is hilarious!
- uberman 7y ago
  I don't think the issue that anyone has is being identified with a demographic, be they "Boomer", "Gen-X", "Gen-y" like myself or "Millennial". The heart of why it is offensive is exactly what gets tacked on implicitly or explicitly like your "PC baby" comment. Some members of group "A" using a slight against the members of group "B" does not give some members of group "B" a free pass to reciprocate. Both slights are wrong. This is no different than the systemic waves of racism that have plagued US immigration for a half-dozen generations. What I find most depressing is that a generation so often connected with "woke-ness", "post-racial", and "post-gender" ideas in the end is no different than any other generation. Once their "other" is found they will apparently delight in poking at it with feigned ignorance of the offence they cause.
  - justForFun69 7y ago
    I think you need some South Park in your life.

ohiovr 7y ago

There is something ugly about automatic contempt of 74.1 million people.