I never thought a meme could cause a generational war. “Ok Boomer” has proved me wrong. The trend began as a reaction to a TikTok video of an older man accusing Gen Z and Millenials of having “Peter Pan Syndrome.” This prompted multiple young TikTok users to make videos simply saying “Ok Boomer” as a dismissive response. One of its most notable uses was by New Zealand MP Chlöe Swarbrick, who was in the midst of giving a speech regarding climate change. An older man interrupted her, to which she swiftly responded “Ok Boomer” and moving on. The phrase became the default response to any outdated criticism from the older generation.

To Millenials and Gen Z, “Ok Boomer” stands for much more than a retort. Boomers are generally known for placing harsh judgements on youth for enjoying technology and social media, accusing them of being lazy or unappreciative. “Ok Boomer” is not an unprovoked remark but rather a response to the accumulation of judgement pressed upon us. The meme has allowed people to bond over their shared frustration with the older generation in a harmless, joking manner. Taylor Lorenz, a journalist for

The New York Times,

wrote an article titled “‘OK Boomer’ Marks the End of Friendly Generational Relations,” which helped the phrase gain even more exposure than it already had.

Among some, however, the phrase is considered offensive due to ageist connotations. Some Boomers spoke out in protest of “Ok Boomer” due to their feeling of being brushed off or disrespected by the phrase. Conservative radio host Bob Lonsberry made a ridiculous tweet in which he referred to “Boomer” as the “n-word of ageism.” He was immediately attacked for being horribly inconsiderate, and rightfully so in my opinion. The fact that he could even think to compare “Ok Boomer” to the centuries of racism and oppression faced by Black people is unimaginable. If you have to write “the n-word” instead of the actual slur, then it is clearly far worse than “Boomer.”

Something I find rather interesting about the backlash “Ok Boomer” has received is the fact that it is coming from a generation known to accuse Millennials and Gen Z of being overly sensitive. “Generation Snowflake” is the term used to describe today’s youth. According to the “snowflake” narrative, milennials and Gen Z youth consider themselves so unique that they lack any self-awareness or resilience to adversity. Our technology-saturated lives have left us with cushy lives and thin skin. This has always been baffling to me because I assumed people would want life to be easier for their children and grandchildren, rather than wanting them to endure the same struggles as they did. I agree that it is much easier to be young as a part of the Millennial generation or Gen Z; however this should not be something to be bitter about. Additionally, today’s youth has been nicknamed the Snowflake Generation because of our focus on civil rights. In 2015, conflict regarding the cultural appropriation of certain Halloween costumes at Yale University led students to urge higher-ups to intervene if costumes were found offensive. This was considered an overreaction, yet “Ok Boomer” is somehow equivalent to the n-word.

In my opinion, we should keep it up. The deeper purpose of “Ok Boomer” is to act as our anthem in response to harsh judgements placed upon us from the older generation. But more than that, it is just a joke! It is not that serious. So, wave them off. Give them a taste of their own medicine. If they do not like it, simply hit them with the “Ok Boomer.”