By Samm Sharp Posted December 20, 2019
Recently on social media, there has been an uprising of Millennials and Gen-Z using the alleged slur ‘ok boomer’. The phrase even made an appearance in a parliamentary debate in New Zealand. Sure, maybe we’re targeting the boomers and making a meme out of them, but they could’ve just not ruined the climate leading our generations into impending doom.
The trend started because of an older man posting a video online saying Gen-Z has Peter Pan syndrome, and we need to grow up. “ok boomer” was created to criticize and retaliate against this old man, as well as the rest of the boomers who have shaped today’s society.
The phrase is now a comeback that Millennials and Gen-Z use when Boomers disregard or mock an issue that we care about. It’s also used against Gen-X because we youngsters have no perception of age. We finally figured out that nothing hurts them more than being dismissed in the way they dismiss everyone younger.
Bob Lonsberry, a conservative talk-show host, columnist, and author tweeted about the “ageist slur”, saying “‘Boomer’ is the n-word of ageism. Being hip and flip does not make bigotry ok, nor is derisive epithet please don’t include definitions acceptable because it is new.” Fastcompany.com states this is “ironic” coming from a man whose political views have gotten him sued, suspended, and protested on multiple occasions.
Dictonary.com even went as far as to tweet “Boomer is an informal noun referring to a person born during a baby boom, especially one born in the U.S. between 1946 and 1965. The n-word is one of the most offensive words in the English language.”
Obviously, there were loads of backlash. If you search Lonsberry on Twitter (@BobLonsberry), you can scroll for hours and still see replies to his tweets, most calling Lonsberry a boomer. Name a better way to handle this.
Some Gen Zers have taken the trend so far, they’re profiting off of it. 19-year-old Shannon O’Connor is behind the “ok boomer” merch in the style of the ‘thank you’ shopping bags. After promoting it on TikTok, she has received more than $10,000 in orders.
18-year-old college student Nina Kasman has also been selling boomer merch like stickers, posters, water bottles, and even notebooks. Kasman told The New York Times that she personally cannot do much to restore the environment, reduce the price of tuition (which is what her merch is paying for), or “undo political corruption,” in regards to why she is participating in the “ok boomer” trend.
Obviously, the saying resonates with a lot of people.
On behalf of Gen-Z, I would just like to say that the world is changing fast. The boomers’ decisions are affecting our generation. Yeah, some of us ripped the holes in our jeans, but some of you ripped holes in the ozone. Millennials may have “killed” department stores but you guys killed the polar bears. The Earth is literally dying right in front of us because somebody keeps burning fossil fuels, and we will be the first of many to have a lower quality of life. 50 percent of our monthly income will go toward rent and none of us will be able to afford health insurance. Not to mention, you can’t even log into a computer without getting three viruses and sending money to a scammer in Nigeria, but you’re willing to pay hundreds so someone younger than you can fix your computer. In 2017, the average student loan debt was $37,000. College tuition rates continue to skyrocket, but inflation is much lower in comparison. You guys went to college for like 20 bucks, so remind me who’s profiting off this. And you think we’re lazy, entitled, and self-serving?
Ok, boomer.
