‘Ok boomer’ rapidly became a comeback used by Gen Z
Angelina Vang watches an “ok boomer” Tik Tok. A girl is dressed up as a baby boomer because she made a joke about how her grandparents judge her ripped jeans.
January 10, 2019
“Ok boomer“ is what younger generations have used as a response to older adults (i.e. The Baby Boomers). “Ok boomer” shows the social divide between older generations and younger. Recently every social media platform blew up with “ok boomer” jokes, especially on Tik Tok and Twitter.
“If you are older than like 30, which isn’t even old, it’s like you are a boomer,” freshman Vivian Haskins said.
“Ok boomer” is a trend all over social media, especially big on Tik Tok. Tik Tokers use it as a comeback to something they do not like. Many times, older generations judge younger generations for things like what they wear or how they act, so Gen Z, came back with “ok boomer.” Now it is not only used as a comeback for judgement on how Gen Z acts, but what Gen Z thinks.
I really did not know what it meant until I looked it up when someone said it to me. I think that it is a joke, and should be taken as a joke, but no one should use it as a way to verbally hurt someone.
— Angelina Vang
“Now I used to see ‘ok boomer’ when people were just old, but now I feel like it is more political . . . I see something about Trump or anything people just say ‘ok boomer’,” Haskins said.
However older generations like the Boomers, Gen X and some Millenials are divided from younger Millenials and Gen Z. Boomers overreacted to the trend and it ended up on the news. In some cases, the criticism from older generations creates a better bond.
“My grandmother lives with me and she is always telling me the right and wrong things to do, but without her help, I probably would have turned out differently,” junior Angelina Vang said. “I am always grateful for her and showing me what is right and what is wrong.”
In addition “ok boomer” started out as a light-hearted joke on Tik Tok and Twitter. “Ok boomer” has blown up and people have started to take notice.
“I really did not know what it meant until I looked it up when someone said it to me. I think that it is a joke, and should be taken as a joke, but no one should use it as a way to verbally hurt someone,” Vang said.
Furthermore, the trend “ok boomer” has brought up some serious topics as well. It brought up topics like climate change and society as a whole. Younger generations are trying to show boomers and older generations how important certain things are and Gen Z is tired of being ignored so they used “ok boomer” as a way to capture their attention.
“Times have changed, and our generation is finding out that with the resources they have that they are able to find themselves faster than maybe someone in the baby boomer generation could,” Vang said.
“I believe that the use of ‘ok boomer’ is all in good fun and people don’t intend offense,” sophomore Eddie O’Keefe added.
