Is ‘Boomer’ now a pejorative term?

[nodakfan17]

Thanks to meme culture, ‘Boomer’ (short for Baby Boomer) is being used to describe an individual who is old, inflexible, and out-of-touch. Some media personalities have complained that ‘Boomer’ is now a pejorative term used to express contempt for individuals above a certain age. Personally, I think it’s no more offensive than the way ‘Millennial’ was weaponized to describe those who struggled to gain traction after entering the workforce during the most recent financial crisis.

[homer]

All I know is Gen Xers rule.

[TURBO]

All I know is Gen Xers rule.

 

LIKE (made it by a year)

[jerichoholicninja]

Everything is a pejorative to someone.

[TURBO]

Everything is a pejorative to someone.

 

Ain't that the truth...

[long ball]

Yes, at least on social media. Agree with OP that it's similar to the way Millenial is used.

 

I think it's annoying.

[nate82]

All I know is Gen Xers rule.

Learning you missed gen x by 3 years and finding out you are a millennial is like when Hank Hill found out he wasn't born in Texas but was born in New York.

[sveumrules]

The olds complaining about the kids these days were once the kids these days that the now dead olds used to complain about & the kids these days will one day be the olds that the as of yet unborn kids these days will be complaining about someday (if we make it that long).

 

I personally don't see how making negative generalizations about large swaths of people based on the year they were born is any better or less divisive than doing the same thing based on race, gender, or any other number of things people have no control over...but maybe I'm a weirdo.

[pacopete4]

People complain about other people usually because they don't understand those people.

[Samurai Bucky]

He has been getting worse lately...

 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Yes, it's a burn now for anyone over 30. Like how millennial is now used to describe any teenager when they actually aren't millennials.

[KeithStone53151]

I don't think complaining is the right approach to this "boomer" thing. We should be mocking them for coming up with something so stupid...

[Baldkin]

I don't think complaining is the right approach to this "boomer" thing. We should be mocking them for coming up with something so stupid...

 

"Whatever, Dude."

[owbc]

While getting off the bus I heard the phrase "See you on tik tok!" the other day. So that's how Gen Zers say goodbye to each other I guess.

[hawing]

I feel both in the middle of and oddly detached from the current round of generational bickering. At the library I've long been surrounded by boomer colleagues and college age students, and relatively few people in my age group. For probably the first 15-20 years of my career, one colleague and I (both born in 1966, so we're Xers) were the youngest non-student staff! It's only in the last 5-10 years that boomer retirements at my work really got going.

 

I can impress (I think?) my student employees sometimes by telling them stuff I remember that they wouldn't - but I don't really talk about my job hunting or student debt experiences, because I know they're facing a significantly different situation than I did on those fronts. If being young again meant I had to go to school nowadays, I don't think I would want to do it.

[tmwiese55]

I'm in the middle of this in that I technically count as a millennial but am on the edge. Which is another thing, the line should be at like say age 30ish right now. Kind of around whether or not you grew up with cell phones/internet your whole life or not. Not at 37 or whatever the actual line is.

 

First, I of course think it's just dumb and not helpful to judge and put people in boxes like these terms do. But one thing I'd add to the topic is that all we hear about is how awful Millennials and young people are right? Well, I travel around a lot and do a lot of stuff, different cities, types of people etc. In my experience it is the older people who are the rudest in regards to just basic human interaction. Sure, maybe a millennial is on their phone too much and apparently that's a huge deal to some, but really it isn't affecting anyone else (if not driving). I'm talking about straight up rude things like cutting off in lines, being jerks to service industry people, just generally oblivious to common courtesy. Kind of like with an attitude of life has beaten me down, so I'm gonna do my thing and don't care. Just one small observation I've picked up on. Of course, I'm not saying all or even majority are like this. Just that I see it more often in the boomer type generation than with young people.

 

For anyone ripping on the young people for coming up with this phrase back, I'd say just take a second and think. These people have essentially been being shamed, shunned and ripped on with this millennial term and everyone blaming the worlds problems on them even though the reality is they've had nothing to do with putting the world/country in the current state it's in. Why shouldn't they eventually say something back.

[Bikeage77]

I'm in the middle of this in that I technically count as a millennial but am on the edge. Which is another thing, the line should be at like say age 30ish right now. Kind of around whether or not you grew up with cell phones/internet your whole life or not. Not at 37 or whatever the actual line is.

 

First, I of course think it's just dumb and not helpful to judge and put people in boxes like these terms do. But one thing I'd add to the topic is that all we hear about is how awful Millennials and young people are right? Well, I travel around a lot and do a lot of stuff, different cities, types of people etc. In my experience it is the older people who are the rudest in regards to just basic human interaction. Sure, maybe a millennial is on their phone too much and apparently that's a huge deal to some, but really it isn't doing affecting anyone else (if not driving). I'm talking about straight up rude things like cutting off in lines, being jerks to service industry people, just generally oblivious to common courtesy. Kind of like with an attitude of life has beaten me down, so I'm gonna do my thing and don't care. Just one small observation I've picked up on. Of course, I'm not saying all or even majority are like this. Just that I see it more often in the boomer type generation than with young people.

 

For anyone ripping on the young people for coming up with this phrase back, I'd say just take a second and think. These people have essentially been being shamed, shunned and ripped on with this millennial term and everyone blaming the worlds problems on them even though the reality is they've had nothing to do with putting the world/country in the current state it's in. Why shouldn't they eventually say something back.

 

This is pretty spot on.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, I'm 41 (born 1978) & have always felt too young for Gen X & too old for the Millenials. Like when I watched Singles or Reality Bites I was too young to really identify with any of the characters, but I also didn't even have email until I got to college so I didn't really grow up on a computer.

 

I like to think of people caught in between like myself as Generation Why?

[Samurai Bucky]

I turned 50 this year. I am in IT, so I try to stay up on technology as best as I can to stay in touch with my kids. My parents, in their early to mid 70's, do not embrace technology much -- mostly because it costs too much money. They get frustrated when I don't bring them 200 printed photos of our trip to the cabin. Uggh...

 

It's the same thing that was mentioned earlier in the thread -- older folks think the young folks are screwing up a good thing, and the young folks think the older folks simply aren't relevant or can't contribute as much to society. I'll try to keep being an influence in my sphere of influence and will try to learn new things.

 

[sarcasm]Now... Get off my lawn! Then fall Caesar...[/sarcasm]

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm in the middle of this in that I technically count as a millennial but am on the edge. Which is another thing, the line should be at like say age 30ish right now. Kind of around whether or not you grew up with cell phones/internet your whole life or not. Not at 37 or whatever the actual line is.

 

First, I of course think it's just dumb and not helpful to judge and put people in boxes like these terms do. But one thing I'd add to the topic is that all we hear about is how awful Millennials and young people are right? Well, I travel around a lot and do a lot of stuff, different cities, types of people etc. In my experience it is the older people who are the rudest in regards to just basic human interaction. Sure, maybe a millennial is on their phone too much and apparently that's a huge deal to some, but really it isn't doing affecting anyone else (if not driving). I'm talking about straight up rude things like cutting off in lines, being jerks to service industry people, just generally oblivious to common courtesy. Kind of like with an attitude of life has beaten me down, so I'm gonna do my thing and don't care. Just one small observation I've picked up on. Of course, I'm not saying all or even majority are like this. Just that I see it more often in the boomer type generation than with young people.

 

For anyone ripping on the young people for coming up with this phrase back, I'd say just take a second and think. These people have essentially been being shamed, shunned and ripped on with this millennial term and everyone blaming the worlds problems on them even though the reality is they've had nothing to do with putting the world/country in the current state it's in. Why shouldn't they eventually say something back.

 

This is pretty spot on.

 

 

I also travel a lot and without even thinking about it for a second, the worst mannered people on planes are 60+. They are the only ones constantly bickering for free seat upgrades, think they should not have to sit by children, etc. I don't know what it is. My only theory is that it bothers them that young people can travel more easily now while they had to wait until the golden years to do so. I've been on work flights to Hawaii and feel like this bothers them, especially when my kids have come along. "Entitled" is the word I'd use to describe them, which is funny considering how many of them talk about millennials.

 

Air travel is one of few things that has become more accessible. When these people were raising kids it was mostly an upper middle class thing.

[RollieTime]

I'm in the middle of this in that I technically count as a millennial but am on the edge. Which is another thing, the line should be at like say age 30ish right now. Kind of around whether or not you grew up with cell phones/internet your whole life or not. Not at 37 or whatever the actual line is.

 

First, I of course think it's just dumb and not helpful to judge and put people in boxes like these terms do. But one thing I'd add to the topic is that all we hear about is how awful Millennials and young people are right? Well, I travel around a lot and do a lot of stuff, different cities, types of people etc. In my experience it is the older people who are the rudest in regards to just basic human interaction. Sure, maybe a millennial is on their phone too much and apparently that's a huge deal to some, but really it isn't doing affecting anyone else (if not driving). I'm talking about straight up rude things like cutting off in lines, being jerks to service industry people, just generally oblivious to common courtesy. Kind of like with an attitude of life has beaten me down, so I'm gonna do my thing and don't care. Just one small observation I've picked up on. Of course, I'm not saying all or even majority are like this. Just that I see it more often in the boomer type generation than with young people.

 

For anyone ripping on the young people for coming up with this phrase back, I'd say just take a second and think. These people have essentially been being shamed, shunned and ripped on with this millennial term and everyone blaming the worlds problems on them even though the reality is they've had nothing to do with putting the world/country in the current state it's in. Why shouldn't they eventually say something back.

 

This is pretty spot on.

 

I second this. Nailed it to a T.

[tmwiese55]

Good post OldSchool.

 

Also, have to say I loved SB's last line about being a positive influence in his sphere and keeping an open mind. If everyone had that attitude the world would be such a better place. I've also said similar things in regards to some of the hot button racism/sexism topics of the current days. I'm talking more about the 'ignorant' type level of them (which I think we could find a better word to describe), not the extreme ridiculous clear cut hate level. As in, there is not some magical way to implement a policy or snap your fingers and fix this stuff. Be a positive influence in your areas and the change will keep coming as more and more people interact. The somewhat confrontational way it's going right now is just putting folks in boxes and pitting them against each other, making people defensive, etc.

[FVBrewerFan]

Sounds like this is some sort of generational civil war, and I don't see it that way. 90% of the milllennial talk, and now boomer talk, is tongue and cheek. It's not hostile. Obviously throughout time there's going to be differences between generations.

 

I have two millennial children, I don't look at what they or their friends do as any better or worse- just different outlook on things sometimes. Te one generality I do see in many millennials that bothers me a bit is the entitlement attitude. I go my BS degree in philosophy, now where is my job the world owes me? And why do I have these student loans I have to pay off that I agreed take out? I know, someone else should pay them off!

 

Other than that, it's just fun to make jokes about it because the stereotypes are there. Brunch, don't know how to use a screwdriver, etc. Just as millennials make fun of me fr not being on twitter, instagram, etc. We're all so quick to be offended these days.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

As it pertains to student loans, most people are being told to sign on the dotted line without the slightest clue as to what they are doing. They are getting this advice from parents and trusted advisors who sell them dreams at the expense of their best interests. It is not productive or realistic to expect them to grasp this at 17, 18 years old. Even if you do explain it to most of them it is all fake numbers. They'll work one day and make lots of money! So it does nothing to explain that to a 17 y/o who's been dreaming of FSU for 4 years.

 

So, no, I'm not going to blame people for figuring this out on their own 10 years later and being upset. The people who care about them should have done better. And I laugh when "boomers" go on about this. They were going to college for $600 a semester. It's one topic they should really sit down and shut up about.

[KeithStone53151]

As it pertains to student loans, most people are being told to sign on the dotted line without the slightest clue as to what they are doing. They are getting this advice from parents and trusted advisors who sell them dreams at the expense of their best interests. It is not productive or realistic to expect them to grasp this at 17, 18 years old. Even if you do explain it to most of them it is all fake numbers. They'll work one day and make lots of money! So it does nothing to explain that to a 17 y/o who's been dreaming of FSU for 4 years.

 

So, no, I'm not going to blame people for figuring this out on their own 10 years later and being upset. The people who care about them should have done better. And I laugh when "boomers" go on about this. They were going to college for $600 a semester. It's one topic they should really sit down and shut up about.

 

Not to go too far off topic, but this is exactly why every high school should require students to take a personal finance course or 3. This is such a big decision for such a large percentage of the student population, these kids should be thoroughly aware of how much debt they'll have at the end...what their payment will be...what kind of salary they can expect...what that means for take-home pay...income to debt ratios for buying a house. I believe I was way ahead of the curve(for my age) with understanding the finance side of things at age 17 when I had to make these decisions(currently a CPA)...but looking back I probably understood about 10% of what I needed to understand to make an informed decision.

 

That said, you make a choice and you have to live with the consequences. Literally everyone can do more to live a more frugal lifestyle to improve their long-term outlook...and in many cases that includes cutting back on some things to pay back student loans faster. There's plenty that can be done going forward to prevent the next generation from encountering a similar issue.