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Are you tired of the phrase 'OK Boomer' yet? Originating from the exasperation and futility of arguing with people who approach the world's problems from a position of security and privilege, the meme has quickly morphed into a lame conversation killer, mindlessly and derisively parroted by people who disagree with anyone who happens to be older than them.

I blame the online culture of 'savage putdowns,' 'mic-drops' and 'word murders' for this – we have come to believe that the way to 'win' a debate is to flounce out with a particularly biting or amusing insult, at the expense of logic and reason. 'OK Boomer' is not clever, and it's not even funny anymore. It's smug, boring and counterproductive.

This post highlights the generational divide that we face today, as younger people share the out-of-touch advice that they have received from their elders. Because let's face it, the structural inequality, economic insecurity and environmental destruction that Millenials and Gen X'ers have inherited are a direct result of the selfish, greedy neoliberal policies championed by Boomers over the last 30 years.

Understandably, the younger generations are a bit upset at their comparative lack of opportunities and are even more frustrated by the absence of understanding and empathy shown in useless pieces of 'advice' like this. But it works both ways. Whilst Boomers could better educate themselves as to the realities of the modern world, and acknowledge that the kind of lifestyles they enjoyed are excessive, damaging and no longer attractive or attainable; casually dismissing the opinions and life experience of older people with thoughtless phrases like 'OK Boomer' ultimately achieves nothing but more division and even less understanding.

What do you think? How can we better bridge the gaps between generations to have more useful, constructive debates and discussions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Image credits: Freeyourmindkid
#2

Boomer-Out-Of-Touch-Advice

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Bonnie Blue Bird
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lots of people are putting their heads in the sand on this topic. It's a mystery to me as to why.

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#3

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WilvanderHeijden
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. Even the pre-boomer generation wouldn't give you that advice. I'm a boomer but my father always told me to follow the money. If you can get more money working elsewhere then don't hang around and move on.

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#5

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Vic
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this here is good advice.. And the secret behind a long life is... Just don't die..

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#6

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Alia G.
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wholesome :) i hope boomers like her know the whole ok boomer movement isn't targeted at her

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#7

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Willem Groenewald
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Making that follow up call makes a big difference. I immigrated, and was applying to tons of jobs online. For weeks I received no replies and no interviews. I then started to call just after each submission. That same day I got two interviews lined up.

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#9

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Alia G.
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i think that's something healthy to keep in mind, boomers were part of the most intense first wave civil rights movements, they protested against wars, and some learned to overcome their own racism, sexism, and homophobia. "ok boomer" is used to insult boomers who refused to change with the times and continue to act like bigotry is acceptable.

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#11

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Foxxy
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can’t imagine my hubby concreting whilst wearing a suit and tie. Impractical, unsafe and uncomfortable.

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#12

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WilvanderHeijden
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's reverse that: "If you pay me more I might be willing to work harder."

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#14

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Tambot
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, if you need something ask. I am starving, could I please have food might be a good start.

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#17

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Janine B.
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not? A lot of companies will appreciate that. Maybe they ask you to leave your job application so they can call you in case they are hiring.

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#19

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Jo Choto
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People really fail to grasp the relative decrease in income compared to the increase in cost of living that has happened over the last 50 years. A minimum wage job used to be a living wage. Now you need about three such jobs to stand a chance.

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#20

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John Montgomery
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. Because that's exactly what everyone wants. Zero free time. /full sarcasm.

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#21

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Jo Choto
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Always start in the mail room... even if there isn't actually a mail room. Just start there anyway.

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#23

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Vic
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now here is where a fifth of Whiskey might help..

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#25

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Jo Choto
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's an article out there somewhere, that showed you could pay your way through Harvard on minimum wage with something like an average of four hours work a day, and now you would need to work 72 hours a day to achieve the same (not the exact figures, but something equally crazy).

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#26

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#27

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Wietse Pot
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They should follow their own advice. Or is this one of those "Do as I say, don't do as I do" things?

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#30

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Brandon Collinsworth
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have always been left leaning but in my 20's I was way more moderate, the older I have gotten the crazy right wing boomers who work harder and harder to keep power in their hands and cry white genocide anytime women and people of color come within sniffing distance of possible equality have pushed me far far left, I actually consider myself a socialist at this point.

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Samhhain Cat
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What they really mean is "as you get older and greedier and want to keep more of your own s**t and say to hell with everyone else". They're the "F**k you, I've got mine" generation.

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Jo Choto
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My family always told me the same. I'm now 53. It didn't happen.

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, yes, the classic... I'v eheard this from Pre-Boomers, Greatest Generation, too. "Once you're older you'll be conservative because...." NOPE! I'm angrier and even more progressive as I age BECAUSE I've seen more of how the world works. And it's yucko!

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Lynda Momalo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been liberal my whole life -- and as I near my 60th birthday, I'm more liberal than ever.

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Lisa
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The older I get, the more liberal I become. However, one of my elementary teachers was a liberal hippie and now he's super conservative.

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Renee Gauthier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not here, I used to be socially liberal & financially conservative. Now I'm all liberal, and even more socially.

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Pan Narrans
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup, it happened. But being considered right wing in Holland probably makes me a leftist Democrat in American eyes.

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The Girl on Fire
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've heard this from people my own age. (I'm a teenager). It's ridiculous.

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Carrie de Luka
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What - that they are getting more right wing as they age? Sorry, I'm genuinely curious as to their meaning.

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Trash Panda
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad told me similar advice, "When you're young you're supposed to be liberal and idealistic. When you're older, you get smarter and become more conservative." Complete b******t.

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Patrick Farley
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i started out center-right in my early 20s; I'm a radical leftist bordering on full blown anarchist at this point.

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Helen Haley
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am more liberal every year. If I ever get to retire I imagine spending all of my time as an activist/protester.

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Dave P
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

most people do shift toward the right, between 27-35 there is a massive shift. Its' why 42% of Americans identify as conservative to only 27% as liberal but it is about 70% under 25 as liberal and the over 40 is very conservative, and these numbers have been pretty stagnant for the past 30 years.

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Katchen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Older white people are more conservative. This is not true for POC. Donald Trump won a majority of white Evangelicals, not black Evangelicals. He won a majority of white women, not minority women. In the US the older generations are whiter than the younger generations.

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John
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Understanding how the world works is sorta the problem

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John
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For those downvoting - in saying that's why young people are going liberal now

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AlanandLeila Hoyt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They expect us to be the same as they are. What’s funny about this one…is my husband and I are far more conservative (politically and religiously) than our parents in many ways, while far more Liberal when it comes to things like child rearing, food, individualism, boundaries, and self expression.

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Id row
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a gen-x'er, all I can say is that this picture sums up this topic perfectly. Disaster-g...1c8ba0.jpg Disaster-girl-generations-5e0fcbd1c8ba0.jpg

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Mosheh Wolf
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of the reasons that people believe that, is that the "studies" focus on a small sample of wealthy kids who attend elite colleges, and play with social activism before they actually have to spend their own money doing it. If they would follow most of the population, they would see that very little changes in a person's politics, though tolerance often increases, as people grow up and stop seeing the world in black and white. As bad as your racist uncle is now, he was likely a lot worse as a teen.

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Imajin_A_Shön
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't agree fully with liberals or conservatives but have noticed the left is getting very close to communism and socialism which is actually scary.

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Lucas
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you understand the difference between communism and socialism?

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