25-year-old politician shuts down heckler with viral phrase 'OK Boomer'

[SunSeeker]

The latest viral generational clap back phrase has moved from the court of public opinion to parliament.

A young member of New Zealand parliament quickly dismissed a member of the opposition with a viral internet phrase that calls out people from the baby boomer generation with two simple words.

The generational divide in the room became clear when Chlöe Swarbrick, 25, said "OK Boomer," during her speech on climate change for the Zero Carbon Bill."

In the year 2050 I will be 56 years old. Yet right now the average age of this 52nd Parliament is 49 years old," Swarbrick said as someone off camera was heard heckling her.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/25-year-politician-boomer-speech-climate-change/story?id=66791280&cid=clicksource_4380645_null_twopack_image

[Cartoonist]

1. Don't trust anyone over 30

That was a slogan many boomers like me were fond of.

I take no offense at young kids trying to take charge of their world.

[misanthrope]

8. And how did that work out?

Turned out that mindset was flawed, as it is now. Not only do you discover that 30 isn't terribly old but you discover that the very young are often brilliant illustrations of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

In this phrase, "Boomer" is used as a pejorative. It's not quite the same as a racial or sexual-oriented slur but not as far removed as many would like to believe. It's also counterproductive. Many "boomers" have fought the same fights, have the same perspectives and motivations as these Millennials. Isn't allegiance and cooperation more valuable than alienation and marginalization?

As an early Gen Xer, I have my own issues with those born before and after me, as well as members of my own "generation." However, discounting someone solely due to the year of their birth rather than the choices they made in their life is simply prejudice. I understand we stand on the shoulders of those who came before as did they and preceding humans.

[Triloon]

14. That slogan came from a cheesy late 60's "youth subculture" exploitation film.

It was seized upon and popularized by the media and the older generation to demean the intents of the youth. Nobody that was serious bought into it.
A lot of these kids you're talking about are in their 30s and 40s. The path to taking power in the world has been open to them for decades.
I'm reminded of the 2000 election, Gore/Bush. 65% of the 'youth vote' didn't bother to show up. And so they missed their best chance to not only prevent the Iraq War, but to elect the only presidential candidate that wanted to take climate change seriously. They didn't show up, but they put the blame on those of us who did show up. That's just sooooo Woke.
The dismissive Ageism of 'ok boomer' is the last sanctuary of bigotry among the perfected Woke. They defend against that charge by saying Boomer doesn't mean Baby Boomer. what does it mean then? It means "Old White Guy". Very cute, very clever, very insulting, very woke.
But gosh, maybe they'll show up this time, right? Or will they exercise the Power of the Pout again.
I'm just trembling with hope and anticipation.
ha.

[Cartoonist]

19. Ok, boomer

Someone says that to me, I'll smile. I won't crank out.

[Triloon]

25. A virtuous plan.

Let us know how it works out.

[eShirl]

82. that's cool, man

with love from an early genXer

[TheBlackAdder]

33. Most Late Boomers grew up watching Logan's Run, and we all thought 30 was freakin old.

[lastlib]

70. I agree with it in principle, but I would say drop the zero.....

[comradebillyboy]

2. I know it's fashionable to shit on boomers right now but remember

boomers vote in great numbers.

[Mariana]

17. This woman was responding to a heckler

who was harassing her about her age while she spoke.

"Today I have learnt that responding succinctly and in perfect jest to somebody heckling you about *your age* as you speak about the impact of climate change on *your generation* with the literal title of their generation makes some people very mad," she wrote.

What do you think she should have done?

[customerserviceguy]

31. Perhaps

her use of the phrase was justified in dealing with a heckler, but it is now of the verge of going viral, if it hasn't already.

Another "divide and conquer" opportunity for the GOP to exploit.

[JonLP24]

35. I never heard this board complain about ageism

When Bill Maher & others ranted about millenials.

[Mariana]

40. Well, that's just completely different. Right?

I notice the few on this thread who are complaining have nothing to say about the Boomer who was belittling the MP about her age.

[Bettie]

88. From what I've observed

it is perfectly right to practice ageism if one is punching down.

But, the second someone suggests that maybe we should get some younger voices in the mix, we're putting older people out on ice floes.

Bob forbid we should listen to younger people.

[Mariana]

91. Who can forget all those threads maligning Rep. Occasio-Cortez

and speaking of her as if she was a child, instead of an intelligent and competent woman.

[Bettie]

92. Yep, they still come up from time to time

usually by older people who think that she's a child and should sit down and shut up.

Interestingly enough, no one says that about even very young men.

[BannonsLiver]

24. Eh I'm not as excited about that as you are

[TheBlackAdder]

34. Which reinforces her point that Boomers gave a shit economy to them and continue to do so.

.

Often, if the young aren't working two jobs to pay bills, or broke where they are disillusioned, their voices are quashed by folks over 40. Not just the boomers but the folks older than them. Blend that with the 40% under 40 who vote Conservative and their voices get drowned out at the polls.

.

[comradebillyboy]

36. I'm not a big fan of idea that an entire generation carries some collective guilt

for all the worlds wrongs. It's a cheap and superficial argument.

[TheBlackAdder]

49. No, it's more the ones who were in power from the 80s to the 2010s extracting the wealth.

[treestar]

85. +1

[Blue_true]

57. The early boomers have been some of the most disappointing people in world history.

Who give a shit if they vote? We know how they vote, big support for Reagan, the Bushes, the Orange Buffoon. We have fucking been trying to overcome how they vote for the last 39 years.

Middle boomers are better and late boomers are even better, at least those two groups sort of get it.

[Metatron]

81. Damn straight!

[RobinA]

67. Well, I Just Laugh

to myself and think, ok millennial. I was under thirty once and now I’m 61. I have no idea how it happened, but I am now my Grandparent’s age when I knew them. It happens. And it will happen to Snidely Millennial sure as the sun rises in the east.

[comradebillyboy]

74. Indeed they will get old too...

[Mariana]

77. The millennial in this story

was responding to someone who was heckling her about her age. What do you think she should have done instead, when she was confronted with someone being so rude and disrespectful to her, just because she's younger?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Heh.

[lunatica]

5. Sometimes you just gotta take the reins.

As a Boomer I am very happy to see younger people rising to leadership status. It makes me feel we did something right to teach that leadership to our offspring.

We should become 100% engaged in the future or get out of the way.

[demmiblue]

6. I laughed. Older folks need to get their shit together regarding climate change. n/t

[Blue_Tires]

7. She single??

[tinrobot]

9. Homophobia, racism, sexism are not allowed, but ageism is OK?

Sorry, but the term "OK boomer" is straight up ageism.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

11. No it's not. nt

[tishaLA]

13. Being offended that boomers get called boomer is the most boomer thing ever

[tinrobot]

23. Because no other group has ever been offended ever?

[tishaLA]

28. Honestly, it's like this

https://www.theroot.com/a-video-in-which-matt-gaetz-a-white-man-whines-about-1839357961

[tinrobot]

44. Because all people born between 1945 and 1963 are privileged?

That sure is a lot of assumptions.

[tishaLA]

46. That's not even a good strawman

But like I said before, boomers getting upset about being called boomers is the most boomer thing ever.

[11 Bravo]

48. I'm a Boomer, and I'm fine with that

My only other option would be to be dead.
I think climate change is a clear danger, and those who dispute that are foolish.
If someone thinks they can dismiss me with an "OK, Boomer", fuck 'em.

[BeyondGeography]

51. That's funny

And true.

[mitch96]

54. BOOM!

[Mariana]

63. LOL, yes that's pretty pathetic. nt.

[Mariana]

18. How do you think she should have responded

to the heckler who was harassing her about her age?

[tinrobot]

22. I would have gone with 'OK, asshole'

But anything in that neighborhood would have been equally effective.

[Mariana]

27. This was pretty effective.

The extremely rude and disrespectful heckler shut up, and the new MP made the international news.

[JonLP24]

30. You should hear what people said about millenials over turnout gaps

Myself I voted in every election but it doesn't stop people from bashing based on demographics. FTR I have a lot of respect for boomers. Civil rights, Vietnam war protests, union protests, etc all done without the internet.

[customerserviceguy]

32. I agree

Replace it with "OK, old fart" and you can see how it's hurled.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

37. Ok, Boomer. nt

[customerserviceguy]

39. I fart in your general direction. n/t

[Dr Hobbitstein]

41. Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries. nt

[customerserviceguy]

73. Ok, that was funny!

Not sure why, but hey, if it's off the wall, it's funny to me!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

79. Monty Python

[mitch96]

86. Sounds like a very Shakespearian retort!! nt

[TheBlackAdder]

50. That's more of a position that the people on the right claim to suppress the liberal millennials.

[Blue_true]

58. She was being heckled about her young age. Heckling her about her age is not ageism? nt

[tinrobot]

62. It absolutely is ageism.

Her response to that ageism was, unfortunately... more ageism.

[phleshdef]

64. Its not about age. Its about a clash of generational philosophies and ideologies.

There is a certain Boomer mentality that is prevalent among those who were born during times when it was a lot easier to achieve the American dream but that same generation, once becoming of age to start taking over companies and government have done more damage for the generations that came after them than any other in recent history. And then they bitch about Millennials feeling "entitled" because they want to be able to do the same thing, but can't because the society that the boomers created don't allow them to.

As a Gen-Xer myself though, I say fuck them all and fuck me too, we all suck. =P

[dawg day]

10. I'm a boomer, and sensitive--

Yet anyone who is older and denies climate change should be corrected. (Anyone younger also.) We're not going to be alive for the worst of climate change, but the young people are. So unless we are for climate change mitigation, we should sit down and shut up about it.

(Of course, many of us are worried about the planet and always have been, but there's no doubt most people who deny climate change are able to do so because they are never going to live long enough to truly suffer from it. I'm thinking of all the people who retired to Florida and keep voting for governors and senators who assure them that though the state is pretty much at sealevel and surrounded on three sides by ocean, there's nothing to worry about... or pay taxes to prevent.)

[BannonsLiver]

26. DU boomers aren't the problem

It’s your contemporaries who sold out their values and became republicans in the 80s that are the problem. I’m sad to say there are quite a few of them.

[dawg day]

38. And combined with the previous generation aged--

Arrgh.
I will never understand my mother-in-law (parent of boomers), living in Florida, getting evacuated every year or so because of hurricanes, and voting for the ones who say climate change is a hoax--
Once she said, quite honestly, "Well, I'll be dead by the time it gets too bad."

Best thing to do is to get younger people to vote at the level that old people do, which might be more difficult with the GOP specifically suppressing youth vote.

[BannonsLiver]

43. I agree generally speaking

Inter-generational squabbles are sometimes fun but generally don't accomplish much.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

12. Ha!

That was great!

[Floyd R. Turbo]

15. BOOM

er!

[VOX]

66. -ER!

Had to “finish” what you “started.”
Cheers!

[LanternWaste]

16. Every generation trashes the previous one and places their hopes on the next one.

The only substantive difference in the generations is that one possesses the wisdom to know this to be true, while the other possesses the energy to deny it.

[Mariana]

21. This woman was being heckled about her age while she spoke.

Do you think her response to this constitutes "trashing" the boomers?

[DBoon]

20. You don't have to worry about these boomers heckling anyone

The Boomers who opposed this war meant future generations would not be inducted into another colonial war

[DBoon]

29. Boomers created the modern environmental movement

During the 1960s, environmentalism became a mass social movement. Drawing on a culture of political activism inspired in part by the civil rights and antiwar movements, thousands of citizens, particularly young middle-class white men and women, became involved with environmental politics. The popularity of the environmental agenda was apparent by 1970. In that year, the first Earth Day was organized on 22 April to focus the public's attention on threats to the environment. In New York City, 100,000 people thronged Fifth Avenue to show their support for protecting the earth. Organizers estimated that fifteen hundred colleges and ten thousand schools took part in Earth Day, and Time magazine estimated that about twenty million Americans participated in the event in some fashion.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/earth-and-environment/ecology-and-environmentalism/environmental-studies/environmental-movement

[Mariana]

42. During the 1960s, environmentalism became a mass social movement.

In 2016, the majority of Boomers voted for Trump, partly because he promised to undo everything that the environmentalists have accomplished.

[Hassler]

45. The majority of white millennials also preferred Chump.

[Mariana]

61. The Washington Post says it was 41%.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/12/15/racial-resentment-is-why-41-percent-of-white-millennials-voted-for-trump-in-2016/

[Blue_true]

59. I think that the early boomers are hypocrits.

They attended mass protests and showed "concern" as a way to get laid. I was too young for that stuff, my first vote was for Jimmy Carter. As a boomer, I am very much not impressed with the oldest members of my generation, they facilitated and continue to facilitate the horrors that have us on the brink of making ourselves extinct.

[ismnotwasm]

47. And genX screams back

“We are not boomers so miss me with that shit”

[Codeine]

56. My daughter said "Okay Boomer" to me last week.

I explained to her I was GenX, and she was forced to admit she didn’t really even know what “boomer” meant.

[misanthrope]

71. And there we have it

A beautiful encapsulation of pop culture trends.

[braddy]

76. Did she use it as a negative related to age, even though she did not know what it meant?

[Codeine]

90. Perhaps vaguely?

Honestly I think it may be the current iteration of the ever-popular “Whatever” so beloved of her age group.

[phleshdef]

65. No one talks about Gen X and we prefer it that way, because we are Gen X.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

52. Hahaha.. bout time republican boomers got a comeuppance.

Conservative ex hippies..

[Blue_true]

60. The early boomers were hippies only to get laid.

Once the bloom went off that, they elected and reelected Nixon and Reagan and are a big part of Trump's base. I have zero respect for most of them, and I am a boomer.

A person like Jane Fonda is not a boomer, she was born in 1939, so early boomers can't claim her as one of them.

[hack89]

53. This boomer loves it! Nt

[SunSeeker]

75. +1

[mitch96]

55. I got the impression that her reply was kinda sorta like the "what ever" response

It's like you gave up and ok, now lets move on....
m

[VOX]

68. Ich bin ein Boomer, but I approve of this message like a Millennial.

It’s almost a rite of passage to kick the previous generation(s) in the duff for getting too comfortable.

But do remember that it was Boomers who first went to the wall in the effort to effect changes in the Vietnam quagmire, the civil rights struggle, women’s rights, gay rights, getting the voting age lowered to 18, and so on.

Not all of us sold out.

[Mariana]

72. She didn't say this gratuitously, for the sake of kicking boomers.

She said it in response to an asshole who was heckling her - about her age!

[SunSeeker]

80. None of that means anything if we have left our grandchildren with an unlivable planet.

True, not every Boomer sold out our grandchildren's future. But as a generation, we've been horrifically derelict about what we are leaving future generations. We deserve every bit (and then some) of vitriol coming our way from young people today.

[KentuckyWoman]

69. Any popcorn left?

[Hortensis]

83. Who TOLD you that and why are you repeating something so bigoted?

Last edited Thu Nov 7, 2019, 07:17 AM - Edit history (1)

If someone told you that bigotry is just fine as long as it isn't aimed at black people, let me disabuse you. It's the same thing.

And it comes from within, not from the target. People who'd rush to hose hostility and resentment against a 67-year-old woman who's voted every election since she turned 21 are bound to have plenty more of that where it comes from. Maybe you should wonder ahead of time which groups you might think you have social permission to turn it against and whether you should.

Btw, speaking of blame: Can YOU say you've voted every election since you were eligible? AND that you always voted for Democrats who could be elected to stop Republicans? I've voted, in GEs for the top Democratic candidates, to stop global warming, for civil rights, strong regulation on business, labor rights, healthcare, environmental protection, and everything else you imagine are your issues EVERY election of my life.

Can you say the same? Your statement, to my mind, does not reflect the awareness and understanding I would expect of even a young person who has. It ignores the enormous differences between what the Republican Party has become and who Democrats are. It reveals no awareness of that or what's been happening at all.

Even in people who haven't studied and don't understand developments in our nation and the world over the past 15 years, how can any person not understand the choices between good and evil that have become so clear to anyone who just looks around? And the good and evil are not between you and your grandma.

[treestar]

84. I hate generation-division

or shaming. It's a stupid broad brush.

[Mariana]

87. What do you think she should have said

to the heckler who tried to shame her because of her age?

[treestar]

89. Neither should have done it

She was not forced to join in either. There are many other ways to handle it