Dismissive retort devalues the superpower of life experience
I’m old enough to remember the “coming of age” of the Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), and the 1980s – the era of big hair, bigger shoulder pads, and the biggest concentration of Yuppies – an acronym for "Young Urban Professionals." These were the achievers and overachievers of the Baby Boom generation – a swarm of Gordon Gekko wannabes, armed with Filofaxes and brick-sized mobile phones chasing the dream. It was an era of 'excess is best.'
I’m at the tail end of this generation, probably having more in common with the Gen Xers that followed. The largesse granted to the yuppies seemed to elude me, as the best jobs were all snapped up by the time I graduated University.
But I digress.
Much has changed since then, and although Boomers have become the wealthiest generation in history, they are mostly either retired or approaching retirement, and are looked upon by some of our later cohorts as out of touch, and in some cases, responsible for the sorry mess that plagues our planet.
Hence the infamous "OK Boomer" — a dismissive catchphrase that has become the equivalent of an eyeroll. It is often used to convey the message that “you just don’t get it, and you’re not keeping pace with your tech-savvy juniors.”
So, in addition to the unproductive idea of “culture wars,” we now have a generational clash. One more thing to divide us as we recover economically from the pandemic.
Before we crown "OK Boomer" the champion of insults, let's pump the brakes. Sure, Baby Boomers may not be the reigning monarchs of social media or the high priests of hashtags, but they can be even more valued as highly-adaptable ‘hybrids.’ Because they were born before the computer age, Boomers have a pretty solid footing in both the analog and digital worlds, and understand the sky isn’t falling when the Wi-Fi goes out.
Do you need put up some drywall, do an oil change, or fix a leaky faucet? Many of us can do that. And when there’s no obvious solution to a real-world dilemma, we can often “MacGyver it” (for those old enough to understand the reference). Here’ a guy who fashioned a bazooka from a muffler, gear shift knob, seat cushion stuffing, and cigarette lighter.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating that we treat every silver-haired, bifocaled individual as some kind of guru. But boiling down an entire generation's life experience into a dismissive retort is a bit unreasonable.
I know what you're thinking. “They're old. They don't understand SEO and user engagement. And they are like lost tourists when it comes to Instagram Reels and TikTok.”
Fair point. But consider that although their thumbs might not fly over the keyboard with the same dexterity as Gen Z's, their minds are treasure troves of wisdom, social graces, and people skills that often get lost in the digital din. Before the days of DMs and emojis, there were these things called 'face-to-face conversations.' Boomers, as a rule, are masters at it. They can read a room, sense emotions, and network their asses off – all without a smart phone.
They can also navigate a paper roadmap quicker than it takes to fire up Google Maps, and for those who still use cash, they can instantly figure out the change on a purchase while the Gen Z clerk is fumbling with a calculator.
Our society seems to have developed a pathological fear of age, or to be more precise, an aversion to the perceived technophobia that accompanies it. We've become quick to dismiss the old and slow to value life experience. It's ironic, really. We dwell in an era where vintage is trendy, but we fail to appreciate the vintage humans around us.
Until next blog…
Neil Moore is a communications specialist, freelance journalist, masters athlete, and family man who believes that excellence has no expiry date.
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