Tag: ok boomer

The kids are not alright (and it’s your fault)

~ leftonreadletter ~ Leave a comment

The New York Times once said that every generation gets the beach villain it deserves; no one knows what this means and I already used my four free articles to read about koalas so I won’t be finding out any time soon. But what if that’s absolute horse shit? What if the reality is that every generation actually gets the content it deserves?

To that end, I thought we should check in on the Zoomers to see how they’re doing… And folks, the kids are not alright.

It would be easy to extrapolate too much from a few posts, but everything from the data to the teens’ reaction to war with Iran paints the same bleak picture of a jaded Gen Z coming of age with a mix of hopelessness and righteous indignation.

And honestly, who can blame them? For as long as most Zoomers have been alive we’ve been at war overseas and ignoring the climate crisis at home. Think about the toll that never having known peacetime takes on a generation’s psyche, then compound that with a lifetime’s worth of existential dread over the looming environmental catastrophe

Then add in the fact that for the majority of Gen Z’s life we’ve lived in the shadow of the Great Recession, an omnipresent reminder of just how tentative the entire economic world order is. As they now reach college age, Zoomers are quickly discovering that the costs to enter that cherished world order are even steeper than imagined—and growing quickly.

So yeah, they get to be pissed. Shit’s fucked, etc. But their anger isn’t directed at the government specifically like the Boomer rage of the ‘60s, or at individual industries like the Millenial anger post-Recession. From Greta Thunberg’s famous “how dare you” to the rising support for dismantling capitalism as an entity to “ok boomer” as a whole, the Zoomers are targeting their ire at pretty much everyone who failed to stop the multiple unfolding catastrophes that have defined their worldview.

Including you. Actually, mainly you. 

No, according to our cutting-edge MailChimp analytics, you’re probably not a Boomer. But don’t think your age will protect you from their wrath. Because while you probably think that Millenials and Gen Z are on the same page, the relationship is probably something closer to this. And once Gen Z realizes that Millenials not only failed to fix everything, but barely even tried, they’re going to come for us.

How to Talk to Your Parents About ‘ok boomer’

~ leftonreadletter ~ Leave a comment

There’s a new way to dismiss The Olds and folks, the Times is ON IT! With ok boomer going mainstream, you’re more than likely facing some pretty awkward questions from your parents. Questions like “is ok boomer worse than the n-word?” and “just to play devil’s advocate, what if I said the n-word?”

Never fear, LoR is here to help. Just follow these six simple steps, and your parents will understand ok boomer in no time:

  1. Tell them it’s their fault. It’s important that your parents know that Millennials and Zoomers are mad at Boomers specifically because of their actions. It’s not some abstract dislike of all that is old or out of style. It’s a very direct response to the things Boomers did to the planet, economy, and world order at large.
  2. Explain that it’s personally about them. You don’t want your parents leaving this conversation thinking that #NotAllBoomers are subject to ok boomer. In fact, you should tell them that you invented the phrase yourself and that it was specifically about them. How would they ever fact check that? Call up NPR and ask Ari Shapiro to look into it? Good luck with that.
  3. Remind them there’s no comma. Kids these days won’t even separate independent and dependent clauses with proper punctuation!! The anarchists are coming, Boomers.
  4. Say that it’s definitely a slur. They won’t admit it, but the Boomers are actually pretty excited by the opportunity to play the victim here. After you beat them down in Steps 1–3, you get to watch the spark return to their eyes as they realize that with a little repositioning (“ok boomer is actually Neofascist Ageism being pushed by the MSM to undermine class solidarity!”) they can still win this thing.
  5. Buy them some ok boomer merch. If nothing else, Boomers will appreciate watching an antiestablishment sentiment get co-opted by capitalism. Perhaps an ok boomer sweatshirt shipped directly from the free market paradise of Vietnam will help them get on board?
  6. Wait for JK Rowling to tweet ok boomer at Nigel Farage. When it’s over for the rest of us, it’s just getting started in Boomerworld. And thanks to you, your parents will be well-prepared to talk about What Jo Tweeted during Susan’s weekly wine and book club (emphasis on the wine, lol!!).