Last week there was a non-worthy news item about a 25 year old lawmaker in New Zealand discussing climate change and shutting down some old timer by using the supposedly dismissive term "ok Boomer." I don't have all the details, but supposedly the Boomer did not agree with the Millenial on this issue. Supressing a yawn, I did not think much about it. Then yesterday I read an opinion piece on CNN where a Millennial and Boomer state their views on each other. I don't know where they found the Boomer (some guy named Paul Callan), but let it be known, he does not speak for me.
"Get off my lawn!"
When I was growing up in the 1960's, nothing epitomized a miserable old timer than that phrase. I swore to never utter those words, or anything similar, in my life. So far so good. Then I read some of the points this bullet headed dope boomer (he looks like a refugee from the Eisenhower administration) has to say, and am frankly embarrassed that we are supposedly from the same generation. Now this is supposedly a guy making Boomer arguments against Millennial attitudes. Here are his main points:
- Millenials are imprecise. Millenials were rewarded with participation awards. Millenials were raised in subsidized housing. Boomers invented the PC, What sort of argument is this guy trying to make here exactly? Boomers raised millennial...which he does mention..so again...what is this guys point?
- Racial diversity in higher education is due to Boomer demonstrations (really?…I must have missed this). Boomer technology cleaned up the environment!!! What? Millenials need to move out of their parents basements (uh....Boomers actually invented this).
- Millenials practice "situational morality" and embrace victimhood. Who the hell practices more situational morality than Boomers? Nationalist rhetoric as a threat to democracy is overblown by Millenials! I would say nationalist rhetoric is divisive at best and racist at worst...so which part is overblown then?
Ideological vice Generational differences
I would disagree with about everything this supposed Boomer has to say. Boomers are the most selfish generation this country has ever had. They only started protesting against the Vietnam War in large numbers when college deferments ended and they started getting drafted. Boomers have done nothing to build on the Civil Rights Act of the 1960's, and this country is as racially divided as ever. "Greed is Good" was the Boomer slogan in the 80's. Boomers got tough on crime in the 90's, because it primarily affected inner city minorities and not their Wall Street scams. Climate change is a real thing, yet Boomers are willing to 'wait it out", as they will be gone before the affects are disastrous. I spend a lot of time with Millenials, and most of the differences are ideological and not generational. I would rather spend a week with any one of them than being bored to death by this scold.
Great article about Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. The more I read and watch the candidates in action, the more confused I get. Is there a voice of reason out there? HELP.
Boomers: My thoughts exactly.