‘OK, boomer’ sows generational divide
I’ve been asked recently by more than one media organization to weigh in on the “OK, boomer” issue. Yes, please. Let me help them sow more seeds of division in an already divided culture. Let me help pit an entire demographic cohort against another for the amusement of readers or viewers.
But now that AARP senior vice president Myrna Blyth has offered the tonedeaf response, “OK, millennials, but we’re the people that actually have the money,” I feel compelled to weigh in. Her comment is tone-deaf because it totally ignores some legitimate concerns and disregards the fact that there are extreme differences within every demographic cohort. In once flippant sentence, she reinforces the stereotype that’s being suggested by the OK Boomer “movement.”
In the unlikely event that you’ve missed the story that’s igniting generational warfare, here’s a short summary: “OK, boomer” has become a dismissive response from Generation Z and millennials who see baby boomers as out of touch. It’s demeaning shorthand for, “You’re narrow-minded and self-centered.” Don’t believe in climate change? “OK, Boomer.” Think all young people lack ambition? “OK, Boomer.”
Social scientists tell us that we’re actually hardwired to make snap judgments about others based solely upon how they look. This self-preservation mechanism originated hundreds of thousands of years ago when our survival was dependent upon first impressions. Friend or foe? Fight or flight? Unfortunately, for some, this biological imperative has devolved into an excuse for ignorance and a justification for bigotry.
Stereotyping is an equal opportunity character flaw that some members of all generations engage in. The world is too interconnected and resources are too limited for an us vs. them mentality. The ripples of alienation spread quickly.
I will be the first to agree that there is truth to the litany of complaints that
Gen Z, millennials are expressing. There are far too many men and women born between 1946 and 1964 (the baby boomer generation) who deny climate change, who care more about their financial security than that of their grandchildren and who behave selfishly in nearly every aspect of their lives.
But there are also many of us that agree that rising student debt, political corruption, economic inequality, and leaving behind a planet that’s choking on man-made pollution are disastrous for everyone. We’ve waged war for decades on behalf of gender equality, civil rights, gay rights, equal pay, and access for those with disabilities. And now we’re fighting ageism.
Let’s acknowledge that every demographic cohort has self-centered, materialistic, resource hoarders as well as compassionate, thoughtful stewards of the planet. It’s not when you were born. It’s who you are. Empathy for others and the desire to do the right thing are qualities expressed by many in all generations. They are the glue that holds society together.
Generational name-calling is small ball. Painting everyone within a demographic cohort with the same brush is as dangerous and ignorant as saying all men are misogynists, all immigrants are criminals, or all police are corrupt.
The answer to today’s serious problems is not generation shaming. It’s ignoring generational branding altogether because it’s not easy to be a young adult or an older adult in today’s society. We’re natural allies because no one has the right to hoard resources and opportunity. And everyone has the right to work and grow. Together we’re stronger. Together we can battle corporate greed, polarized politics, and social inequality.
Passive aggressive, flippant behavior won’t solve anything. What it will do is what it’s doing right now: sell a few T-shirts. Let’s start looking for the good in others — no matter what generation they happened to be born into.