'Ok Boomer:' Apathy, Anger And A Viral Meme
Creators report orders are flying in for apparel like this shirt, which features the "ok boomer" meme. TEEPUBLIC hide caption
Creators report orders are flying in for apparel like this shirt, which features the "ok boomer" meme.
TEEPUBLICWhen it comes to what's wrong with America, the blame game is always the same. It's just the names that change.
Lately, it's the millennials: adults who are younger than 38 as of this year. A report by Wochit Business says millennials seem to be ruining lots of things, including casual dining chains likes Applebee's and Chili's and the beer industry.
So it's easy to see why a sharp retort is catching on through social media: "OK, boomer."
As in, baby boomer — as in, the generation that made the most of America and has left its children to pay the check and clean up the mess. At least, that's how many millennials and many from generation Z see it.
How do we talk through this generation gap? Is "OK, boomer" a meme, a call to action or maybe a warning? And regardless of what it is, what do young people plan to do about the problems we face?
We spoke to Evon Yao, a senior at the University of Michigan and the former head of We Listen — a student founded organization that seeks to bridge the political divide; Bhaskar Sankara, the founding editor of Jacobin Magazine; and Ronald Young Jr., a cultural critic and the host of "Time Well-Spent" and "Leaving the Theatre" podcasts.
Like what you hear? Find more of our programs online.