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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?

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Staff Writers 69 Comments
Is It OK To Say "OK, Boomer?"
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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:

A lot of [Baby Boomers] don’t believe in climate change or don’t believe people can get jobs with dyed hair, and a lot of them are stubborn in that view. Teenagers just respond, ‘Ok, boomer.’ It’s like, we’ll prove you wrong, we’re still going to be successful because the world is changing.

 

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.

Date posted: Oct 17, 2022
Staff Writers

Staff Writers are content experts, community members, educational partners, and bloggers. Articles are reviewed by the Age Friendly Institute.

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Consider the source and ignore it. After a couple of decades in education I have finally accepted the fact that I can't fix stupid.

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If it weren't MEANT to be an insult/disrespectful, it would be OK! But it is and it is not!

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To be honest with you, this is the FIRST I have heard of this phrase and no, I do not live under a rock. But in answer to the question, I think its dumb and should NOT be used.

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Ok with me. Great generation ..not perfect but a lot of better than now...Hard work and more respect for people. No freebies growing up..

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It's the usual intergenerational hostility, a passive-aggressive version. Didn't we put down our elders? I don't like it, but it's a fad and will be over maybe before this discussion is. If anyone ever says that to me (I doubt anyone will dare), I will just smile patronizingly and say, "Of course, and have a nice day, my child."

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