“OK Boomer” is the flippant yet passive retort from millennials or members of Generation Z, Cowen continues.
Fox News explains it this way, “OK Boomer” is a popular phrase used to dismiss the opinions of baby boomers that younger people deem irrelevant or uninformed.
Cowen appears to have a mixed reaction to the use of the term:
I would characterize my reaction as irritated, put off and maybe a bit flattered.My reaction isn't mixed.
I have explained to a couple of baby boomers about the retort that they had seen on social media but didn't understand.
Once I explained it, some seemed upset, in Cowen-style, others hurt.
But my reaction has been that it is high school sophomore goofy stuff--except, as we boomers know, high school sophomore goofiness continues on well beyond high school these days.
It is not a very well developed brain that thinks thoughts and ideas can all be lumped together based on a person's age.
In fact, I believe the tag has caught on because it is a short-hand method of attacking an idea without having the depth of knowledge to actually debate the idea.
It is just a way to create a type of class war, in this case by age.
It is an old lefty trick.
The current environmental activist and former lefty leader Jack Weinberg coined the phrase "Never trust anybody over 30" in 1964 during the Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley. The kids don't study history anymore so it is doubtful they understand that they are simply using a retread attack.
But I don't see it as a big problem. You see, as someone who advocates policy positions far different from most of my fellow boomers, I understand that most people of any age are just part of the masses following along current trends without any original thoughts.
So, when someone hurls out "OK boomer" in my direction, I know I am being signaled that I am not being addressed by a deep thinker and I will proceed accordingly.
I never subscribed to the "Never trust anybody over 30" back in the day. Instead, I devoured, for example, Mises and Rothbard and I am sure there are a few youths that are learning all they can from whomever of whatever age now. They are the intellectual elite. They are intellectual one-percenters. Or at least independent thinkers. The masses, for good or bad, will just adopt the current trends. #FollowersWillFollow
-RW
It's tantamount to retorting "OK, old, white guy" or "OK, black man" or "OK, female." Dismissive, rude and belittling.
ReplyDeleteIt's just another version of "whatever...".
ReplyDeleteThe term isn't only directed at the boomer generation, but also to younger people who act or speak in a stereotypical "boomer" fashion. For example, not being aware of current popular culture references or not being tech savvy.
ReplyDeleteMany millennials are probably a bit tired of being ridiculed and mocked (as a generation) - It is not surprising that they are giving boomers a taste of their own medicine in this regard.
ReplyDeleteThis was exactly my thought. This also applies to conversations I have with foreigners; many of them often need to lump all Americans into one homogeneous group to stereotype. Morons come in all ages, races, and nationalities.
DeleteI wish them luck
ReplyDeleteMy usual response is thanks Mr/Miss Idiocracy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should flip this as "ok doomer".
ReplyDeleteMaybe boomers are less likely to be doomers because they have already had five decades worth of "childhood stealing" no-pocalypses under their belts.
https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions
When doomer millies discover the world is still around eleven years hence they will feel the same way.
I’ve been actually trolling these good folks with the reply “ok kiddies”. I’m not a boomer, but it’s fun.
ReplyDelete