Teens use 'OK boomer' to fire back at older generations' criticisms

[DJKhaled]

Luca Brennan’s friends spent days debating what phrase they’d write on their shirts for their senior panorama photo. But then Brennan, 17, seized on the two words the teens had used over and over since the end of the summer to push back against adults who annoyed them and friends who they felt acted close-minded.

“OK boomer.”

The final picture, which will appear in the yearbook of Centreville High School in Virginia, showed the group of nine students with the words written in blue and white tape across their chests.

In recent months, the phrase “OK boomer” has become a common retort in the parts of the internet inhabited by teenage and young adult users. On Instagram, the phrase appears as a hashtag alongside memes and artwork mocking the older generation. On Twitter, the phrase is hurled at someone for making an outdated statement. And on TikTok, where it is arguably the most prolific, it appears in artwork, audios and makeup tutorials as a way to mock an older generation, and the hashtag has been viewed on the platform 18 million times.

“I think a big part of why it has caught on is just, like, baby boomers and older people in general love to complain about younger people on the whole,” said Sam Harman, 17, who took part in the “OK boomer” picture. “They’ll call anyone younger than them ‘millennials,’ and doing the same thing to older people by calling them ‘boomers’ is kind of a push back to that.”

The phrase is a culmination of annoyance and frustration at a generation young people perceive to be worsening issues like climate change, political polarization and economic hardship. The 10 teens and young adults who spoke to NBC News about the phrase said “OK boomer” marked a boiling point for Gen Z and younger millennials, who feel pushed around or condescended to by older generations.

The phrase is even being used to sell sweatshirts.

“I feel like it caught on so well because it’s catchy and humorous, but it also got such a big reaction out of the older generation, which gave it its power essentially and caused people to use it more,” Cassidy Carter, 19, said.

“OK boomer” has begun appearing en mass as comments on videos on TikTok that young people feel are made in bad faith or project an outdated point of view. It’s unclear exactly when the phrase was first used and began to gain traction, but many teens say they first began to pick up on it over the summer.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-...cisms-n1073331

[azzspankr]

OK Boomer

[Peacening]

Ok *******

[BulkingIsHard]

Ok baggot

[NerdyLady]

For a generation who dislikes labels, they certainly like creating them

[gtg]

first world problims

[Boyguy]

For a generation who dislikes labels, they certainly like creating them

Zoomer checking in


ok boomer

[SippyCups]

E is like Norwood 3 already. RIP

[knightofday]

For a generation who dislikes labels, they certainly like creating them

you aint lying hahaha

[coffeemaster]

who cares? Gen Z is the biggest joke ever

everyone looks down on them

[Vhagar]

Some kid said this to me today

I’m Fuking 30

[IawI]

ok boomer

[VTheKing]

so we have to make threads about what teens are up to now?

we truly are booming

[HairyWBush]

Some kid said this to me today

I’m Fuking 30

did you beat his fukking non lifting ******* ass?

[Boyguy]

who cares? Gen Z is the biggest joke ever

everyone looks down on them

ok boomer

[gadawada]

gen z checkin in but feel more like millennial crew

[SuperGuitarDude]

Some millennial creates a meme and gen z makes it worse. More news at 11.

[Boyguy]

Some millennial creates a meme and gen z makes it worse. More news at 11.

ok boomer

[Vhagar]

did you beat his fukking non lifting ******* ass?

I didn’t really register what he’d said until I read this

[MajorTendonitis]

For a generation who dislikes labels, they certainly like creating them

Good point

[HaiMeesk]

Gen X'ers still be like "Yeah, whatever."

[CommonPheasant]

Meh, perfect response to “if you want to get ahead, put your head down at work and be the first in and last out! They’ll reward you with promotions and raises!”

[KurtMussell]

It's all fun an games until they feel the wrath of old man strength as fists rain down upon their face.

[Boyguy]

It's all fun an games until they feel the wrath of old man strength as fists rain down upon their face.

ok boomer

[anonkunbrah]

Kinda feel bad for them. I grew up with metal gear solid, they grew up with fortnite

[MustardTiger17]

Those twinks and twinkettes are in for a rude awakening.

[Boyguy]

Those twinks and twinkettes are in for a rude awakening.

ok boomer

[DJKhaled]

Some kid said this to me today

I’m Fuking 30

Kids/teens now call anyone older than them a "boomer"

Its some meme thing I guess

Also anything you say or any opinion you have will be followed by "ok boomer" or an insult related to being a boomer...even though you're not. I guess its some edgy thing to look down upon people older than you with Gen Zers

Its funny, the generation that constantly cries about racism and sexism is okay with ageism.

[DrumsNotDead]

All I see is a group of ageists and bullies.

[Boyguy]

Kids/teens now call anyone older than them a "boomer"

Its some meme thing I guess

Also anything you say or any opinion you have will be followed by "ok boomer" or an insult related to being a boomer...even though you're not. I guess its some edgy thing to look down upon people older than you with Gen Zers

Its funny, the generation that constantly cries about racism and sexism is okay with ageism.

ok boomer