Why 'OK Boomer' is Catching on With Zoomers and Millennials

While OK Boomer has been a popular term among Generation Z / Zoomers for months in digital spaces like Tik Tok, it has gone mainstream as news outlets like NBC and the New York Times have reported on it, connecting OK Boomer to the frustrations young people--including Millennials--feel toward older generations that don't understand their social, economic, and political struggles

For a while now, young people have tried to explain their plight, but given that far too many boomers have been unwilling to listen, OK Boomer has become a common refrain to articles by Boomers dismissing young people and their experiences.

#okboomer

For Christo Aivalis-

Why "OK Boomer" is Catching on With Zoomers and Millennials

[LungsAhnk]

Boomers did that thing where you leave the last square of toilet paper on the roll and pretend like its not your turn to change it but with society.

[bradleyp]

David Bowie knew where it is at.

"And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-changes
Where's your shame" -David Bowie, Changes.

[RB]

This "boomer" mentality isn't unique to their generation. There is a small subset of millennials, like myself, who graduated in the mid 2000's in alberta and got into the oil and gas sector out of high school and made good money without higher education, and promptly shat on anyone who didn't with precisely the same talking points boomers use. Sure, we didn't make as much as even the boomers did (and housing and food and other commodities were way more expensive for us) but we still had it better than your typical Wal-Mart employees. It's a culture that I don't miss.

[RachelTScott]

35, 000 people living in the streets in Canada my Boomer Mom "they are just lazy serves them right"

[redriverscout]

This phenomenon started 20 plus years ago with Gen X. That is probably a big part of why people are done trying to relate with the Boomers. They have had 2 decades and 3 generations now to realize the world they experienced no longer exists.

[ceciliareynolds]

I am 52 years old, a Gen Xer. Gen X is the first generation that has done financially worse than the previous generation, . We came of age in the Divorce movement and many of us were "latchkey kids". We were labeled slackers and cynics. Getting into the workforce was not easy as it was for our parents. We werent taught technology in school. .Boomers took pensions away from Gen X and with each recession people got laid off and those who didnt get laid off were forced to work twice as much for less money. As a result Gen X were somewhat over protective of their Millenial/Zoomer kids. I never criticized the younger generation, . My own millenial/zoomer kids are hard working, kind hearted, and wise in many ways. So are their friends. They are struggling to get ahead just like the Gen Xers had to do.

[aniassantiago]

I'm a Gen Xer. We've been fighting the boomers since we were teens in the 90s with our music, fashions, political views, etc but we were too close to the boomers to be heard and recognized and we often are overlooked by boomers, millenials and Z. Its ok tho, we are mostly too apathetic and/or cynical to care. However, the way Zoomers and millenials have coopted this important discussion we need to be having regarding our future for humanity, climate change, mass government corruptions, geo political unrest, war, famine, etc etc with such clever nuance, saying to the boomers sit down and listen. You've had around 40 years to fix this shit for us and future generations and you've done nothing. Its brilliant and frankly, I'm here for it.

[lisahildebrandt]

I love this phrase! As a Generation Xer, I heard the same similar negative stereotypes directed at me by my Baby Boomer family members. I was the first person in my family’s history to have graduated from high school and university. They never understood why it was difficult for me to gain meaningful employment. Well, there is now a dandy phrase for that, “OK, Boomer!”

[Slyways]

I'm 18 right now and I'm wondering what some Zoomer's kid gonna call me once I'm 45.

[johnchristian]

You are right.... but how do they explain Bernie Sanders. Yes, i am a boomer. But I seem to be a bit of an odd ball. I generally do not get along with my generation. Why? Because I argue with them over this matter. Personally, I am sick of hearing boomers speaking ill of the younger generation. And I make it known. I am a music composer, though retired due to a stroke. I still write, but I have turned to writing books instead. I am finishing my second one. I had to say something here because, while I am a freak of sorts, I know there are others my age out there somewhere who agree with me. I think the younger generation today is fabulous. I am encouraged by their zeal to find solutions to the problems my generation created. You are right about the boomers - just not all of them, like me. I love your channel. You inspire me. Keep up the great work sir.

[odeszarules]

Boomers...the most SELFISH generation that ever lived

[TSARMOTAF]

Millennials aren't the first generation to get screwed over. Everyone on earth forgets about us. Generation X.

[ashsmee]

The company my husband works for told him he’s an “amazing asset to the company “ and “once you’re manager you’ll make 15k more but you need to be here for 10 years” wtf. The company made 17.7 million after taxes and have less than 50 employees and still don’t pay a living wage for all employees. Benefits they provide are only for prescriptions drugs. We bought our dinky 900 square foot townhouse 4 years ago (which was still 100k more then my parents payed for their HOUSE which is worth over 1million but it’s considered a
Tear house )and the value has doubled which has is not a good thing! Everything since the boomers hay day has been inflated like 1000% except the workers wages, but remember WE are the LAZY ones 🤦🏽‍♀️

[PaladinsFury]

I’m a late GenXer and I have to deal with boomer mentality from my family all the time

Edit: I got the generations mixed up, I’m last year GenX

[Whonoo]

'Ok Boomer' is not an expression born out of laziness, but instead one of exhaustion.

[eiguch]

i am a boomer and i totally understand the difficulty the kids face try to explain what life was like when i finished high school and how it might come back again if they vote

[lostinthefogofwar]

I'm a boomer, and I approve of this message. 👍

[LungsAhnk]

my parents think millennials just want to have the nicest things and thats why we cant afford anything. "if only theyd be willing to buy that furniture second hand" is literally something my mom has said.

[quinnfranke]

As a Gen Xer, I keep hoping that non boomers would vote. They wouldn't be telling us what to do if we voted them out. They are outnumbered.

[jumbobillion]

It's interesting seeing middle class people getting angry and scared about their future. I like it.