‘Ok, boomer;’ dealing with generational differences

thing,” is what sparked the “Ok, boomer” movement on the internet.

Clearly, the ideologies of baby boomers and Gen Z are different. This difference is often referred to as a generational gap. Generational gaps refers to the differences of beliefs, ideologies belonging to two or more generations, according to investopedia.

about racial discrimination. This is not to say that there are no baby boomers who are activists, but rather social justice is more of a priority for Gen Z.

or lower for Gen X and Baby Boomers saying that they would be willing to work more for higher pay,” said Anton Brisinger.

MARIAH FORSTER STAFF WRITER

Many of us have had a conversion with someone of a previous generation and while we may not have vocalized our thoughts, we were thinking “Ok, boomer”.

The phrase “Ok, boomer” has become popular in the last few years. There are memes and TikToks about this phrase and it is used to dismiss or disregard those in the baby boomer generation. Those who were born in the baby boom generation, which means they were born between 1946 and 1964, are often considered old fashion or conservative to Gen Z and millennials.

In an article written by the New York Times, Taylor Lorenz describes the phrase as Gen Z’s response to any old person saying something condescending about young people. Statements such as “kids today don’t get it” or “young people today are so sensitive about every-

While differences between generations have always existed, because of technological advances such as social media, these differences are being magnified. One of the biggest differences between the two generations are their contrasting views on society and politics.

For example, baby boomers are more likely to identify as conservative than liberal according to the Gallup. Younger generations such as millennials and Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations.

One student believes that the stark difference between baby boomers and Gen Z has to do with education. “Things that were taught 50 years ago in the education system are different from what is taught now,” said Axel Garcia, fourth year sociology major. He continues to add that there is more of a focus on cultural education in Gen Z than there was in previous generations.

This could be the reason why Gen Z is more culturally aware and outspoken

Melissa Madrigal Lorenzo, third year psychology major believes that social media has played a role in magnifying the differences between baby boomers and Gen Z. They continue to state that even the way the two generations use social media is different.

“Baby boomers love Facebook and Gen Z loves Tiktok.” said Madrigal-Lorenzo.

While most can agree that the baby boomer generation holds different values from Gen Z, there are some overlapping similarities. Garcia states that he agrees with baby boomers’ view on working hard and being family oriented.

In contrast, Madrigal-Lorenzo doesn’t exactly agree with this idea. “I do and don’t agree with emphasizing the importance of work; working their whole lives until they retire at an old age. Everyone knows the importance of money but I never agreed with the idea of working until you die.”

There have been studies that suggest that Gen Z is the most hard working generation according to StartUps Magazine.

“58% of Gen Z said that they would be willing to work nights and weekends for higher pay. This number decreased with each previous generation, with 40%

Madrigal-Lorenzo stated that she sometimes catches herself agreeing with baby boomers when they say “it’s because you’re always on that damn phone.”

“But then I snap out of it and realize my phone didn’t cause what they are upset about,” said Madrigal-Lorenzo.

With there being obvious similarities and differences between the two generations, how do we fill in the gaps? More specifically, how can two people from different generations with contrasting ideas and beliefs work together?

Garcia suggests that one way to accomplish this is by having structured training about how to interact in the workplace or school setting.

Madrigal-Lorenzo suggests that becoming more aware and accepting of this difference is key to bridging the gap. “Having both generations know about each other’s culture/beliefs can help them understand each other better. I think in a school/ work environment the two can also focus on their similarities rather than differences and work together when it comes to technology.”

“You don’t have to accept what someone is saying, but you should respect