Is It OK To Say "OK, Boomer?"
It sounds like a cheeky way to blow off the opinion of someone older than you—but does this phrase cross the line when it comes to snark?
The New York Times published a piece that has had far-ranging effects and stoked inter-generational ire just by focusing on what could be viewed as an innocuous phrase: “OK, boomer.” The article explains the rising popularity of responding to older people’s opinions by saying “OK, boomer,” referring to their belonging to the Baby Boomer generation. The phrase began among Zoomers and is meant to encapsulate the angst of Gen Z when it comes to the world they’ve inherited—and there may be some legitimacy. Millennials were the first generation worse off than the generation before them. To quote the article:
The phrase has gained so much attention that one entrepreneurial Zoomer put a design of the words on clothing and sold more than $10,000 worth of merchandise.
Following the article, “OK, boomer” seems to have captured the cultural moment. A 25 year-old politician in New Zealand used it to silence older hecklers, The Times’ own opinion column weighed in on it, and the Internet is still abuzz with the echo of “OK, boomer” fallout weeks after the article was published.
But is it OK to say “OK, boomer?” Detractors say that at best it’s stereotypical, at worst it’s ageism. Baby Boomer proponents say that it’s a flippant phrase and shouldn’t be given more weight than it deserves.
Where do you fall in the debate? Is it OK for teens and young adults to say “OK, boomer” or are they crossing a line? Let us know in the comments.
1 like
It doesn't bother me. People get offended so easily about so many things. As Aaron Rogers once said R - E - L - A- X.
It's rude but also it was rude for the older people to be heckling the younger ones. People need to just respect each other's opinions regardless of age, whether they agree or not.
Growing up , I would never and not even think to say anything that would show DISRESPECTFUL to my Parents. (PERIOD.)
We are Boomers. All of us created the first cell phone the youngins did not, and the always talk on them , get in accidents when talking on the./
In my thought I think it is ok to just to say Boomer, not okBoomer"
And, yes in PC World it is not correct, however in this society of ours now we as Boomers can say that to ourselves not to each other. As most of us were raised with manner, good etiquette, etc..
I could go on yet I will stop and just say Not ok
thank you
Susan
Just like all language use, it depends on how and in what context it is stated. If used to degrade or otherwise denigrate others, then it is a poor example of the Millennials who use it. It really only reflects on the person who says it.