# OK Boomer! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162 "2019-11-08T01:49:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/181 "2019-11-11T06:25:04Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Now wasn’t that easy? :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > If that is your position then fine, put up the numbers. How would you put numbers to how shitty a democracy is? > [@](#): > > The figures do not agree with you. The bald fact is that autocracies etc are down, democracies are up. And again - an irrelevant number. > [@](#): > > You haven’t shown a trend Easily disproved, then, by all the conservation success stories you’re about to post… > [@](#): > > That’s a very weird take on what I said. Seems like a perfectly apt response to your “feature, not a bug” dismissal of real murders and oppression. No, usurpation is not actually a feature of democracy. > [@](#): > > However, some systems do seem to have political violence and repression as a common outcome. Shitty democracies being one of those systems. > [@](#): > > you yourself in this very post have said > > , referring to a whole demographic. Did I say that was what I thought, or what Millennials are seeing? Not the same thing. > [@](#): > > How lovely. I think I see why you are so against improving medical care for extending life. I’m not against it. I am against doing it without addressing the consequences. > [@](#): > > And, as ever, you are arguing against a point that I never made, nor even hinted at. Bullshit. You’re the one who brought autocracies into it, I’ve only been talking about relative democracy. > [@](#): > > My citing of the charts was to counter the assertion that the world is a worse place now than after the war. And I keep pointing out that that’s an irrelevant point. Millennials care that the world is worse off today than 20 years ago, not 70…and getting steadily worse. Waving your irrelevant graph at them is not going to change their minds when they have their own, [much](https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/)[more](https://timbro.se/app/uploads/2018/01/populism-index-fig5.jpg)[important](https://qz.com/1435885/data-shows-more-us-terror-attacks-by-right-wing-and-religious-extremists/), ones. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/182 "2019-11-11T06:31:50Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > I like that. And, “What was your branch of service?” “The Resistance” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/183 "2019-11-11T11:23:47Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I’ll let you tell the world’s poor that improvement in their living conditions will have to wait. Global warming is having a far more drastic impact on the world’s poor’s standard of living than any other factor right now. But we’ll just tell them you said they’ve never had it so good. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/184 "2019-11-11T12:33:32Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Global warming is having a far more drastic impact on the world’s poor’s standard of living than any other factor right now. But we’ll just tell them you said they’ve never had it so good. Not what I said, not a claim I made. In many respects the world is a much better place than it was 70 years. In some ways it is worse. There is nothing particularly controversial about that is there? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/185 "2019-11-11T13:16:23Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > And I keep pointing out that that’s an irrelevant point. Millennials care that the world is worse off today than 20 years ago, not 70…and getting steadily worse. Waving your irrelevant graph at them is not going to change their minds when they have their own, [much](https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/)[more](https://timbro.se/app/uploads/2018/01/populism-index-fig5.jpg)[important](https://qz.com/1435885/data-shows-more-us-terror-attacks-by-right-wing-and-religious-extremists/), ones. Dibble, you are all over the place on this. I remind you that I was making the case that in some ways the world is better now than it was 70 years ago. In my opinion it is \*overall \*a better place to live than in the immediate post-war. That’s it. Hence my “random person” mental test. Those charts you provide are evidence for some specific ways in which the world has got _worse_, I agree with all of them and could add more myself. Social media and data security just for starters. Those are all target areas that we need to be vigilant about and on which further action is needed and about which Millenials \*should \*be angry and about which they will seek to address. You continue to write as if I said or implied that the world was perfect. I’ve stated time and time again that it isn’t. I have said that in my opinion it is a pretty good place and that it could be better but that there are plenty of good things that previous generations have done that we can build on and plenty of improvements left to make. It was pushback against the lazy assumption that the world is a terrible place. In my opinion it is not. I don’t think the negatives being experienced now are irrelevant, unimportant or imaginary. If you want to argue about that with someone then I suggest you find someone who does hold that opinion. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/186 "2019-11-11T14:11:22Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I remind you that I was making the case that in some ways the world is better now than it was 70 years ago. And I remind you that I’m making the case that those aren’t the ways that matter to Millennials. > [@](#): > > In my opinion it is \*overall \*a better place to live than in the immediate post-war. That’s it. And in the opinion of Millennials, it’s overall a worse place than the turn of the century. That’s it. > [@](#): > > You continue to write as if I said or implied that the world was perfect. No. What I’m saying you’re saying (since you’ve said it outright), is that the bad stuff is outweighed by the good stuff. And that just isn’t the case, since some of the bad stuff Millennials can see coming is “many of us are going to die”. Kind of outweighs other things. > [@](#): > > It was pushback against the lazy assumption that the world is a terrible place. In my opinion it is not. There. That’s the thing that gets up Millennials’ nose - this notion that they haven’t done their research, or lack experience, or whatever other justification you choose to pull out of your arse for calling it a “lazy assumption.” As opposed to an informed opinion. > [@](#): > > I don’t think the negatives being experienced now are irrelevant, unimportant or imaginary. If they’re none of those things, then why does basing one’s idea of the possible future arising from them count as “lazy” to you? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/187 "2019-11-11T14:52:52Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > There. That’s the thing that gets up Millennials’ nose - this notion that they haven’t done their research, or lack experience, or whatever other justification you choose to pull out of your arse for calling it a “lazy assumption.” As opposed to an informed opinion. A well-informed opinion on the comparative current state of the world since the war would necessarily require a consideration of how it has been in the past yes? If I don’t see any evidence of that then I’ll call it lazy. I won’t \*assume \*it is lazy just because of the age of the person uttering it. If you read back, the lazy assumption I was pushing back against was from a poster in this thread, not the whole demographic of “millennials”. That would be in conflict with my detestation of identity politics. I do people the courtesy of treating them as individuals first rather than a group member. It is what you say that matters rather than what you are. Some of them are brilliant, insightful deep thinkers and some of whom are as thick as pig shit. Many are somewhere in between. Plenty of them will indeed think the world has gone to shit, many will agree with me that the world is a pretty good place. I have no idea what age that particular poster was in this case, nor do I care, nor does it matter. It _shouldn’t_ matter. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/188 "2019-11-11T14:55:10Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > If they’re none of those things, then why does basing one’s idea of the possible future arising from them count as “lazy” to you? It isn’t lazy, it is exactly what we should do. Look at how the world can be better and try to bring that about. That is exactly how we should all approach the world ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/189 "2019-11-11T15:07:54Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > A well-informed opinion on the comparative current state of the world since the war would necessarily require a consideration of how it has been in the past yes? Stop with the “since the war”, because the Millennials don’t care. > [@](#): > > If I don’t see any evidence of that then I’ll call it lazy. Nothing “lazy” about setting their arbitrary window of consideration at a different place from you. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/190 "2019-11-11T15:12:32Z")
I haven’t read the thread; but something has been nagging me, and I want to say something even if it’s already been addressed. > [@AHunter3](#): > > Oh. Telling us old folks that we’re old. Depending on which definition you use, I am either a Baby Boomer, or Generation X. I identify as Gen X. It’s true that many Boomers are out of touch. It’s true that many Boomers’ mindsets are causing the problems we have today. But since I, and many people like me, are diametrically opposed to that those particular members of our age group stand for, I object to being dismissed as a Boomer. ‘Oh, you’re old. You don’t know anything.’ Ageism, much? Suppose I dismissed people of colour just because of their colour, or people o a certain religion just because of their religion? I’d be banned from the Internet. I appreciate the sentiment, but I object to being lumped in with Those People. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/191 "2019-11-11T15:13:23Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > What I’m saying you’re saying (since you’ve said it outright), is that the bad stuff is outweighed by the good stuff. No, saying it “outright” would mean that I’d actually said it. I haven’t. Instead of imagining what I said let me quote me, from early on in the thread. > [@](#): > > My opinion is not that the world is a better place in every single way but that it is a better place overall than in the immediate post-war years. Yes, that means balancing the pros and cons and making a judgement. Your’s may very well differ from mine but I would certainly prefer to be here and now than then and there. Just in case you need it spelling out, the bad might well outweigh the good right now (that’d be a personal judgement call and will vary from place to place and person to person) but also that the bad outweighed the good\* EVEN MORE\* in the past. Heck, the bad might well always outweigh the good, the world can still get better. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/192 "2019-11-11T15:18:33Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Stop with the “since the war”, because the Millennials don’t care. You could have saved yourself a lot of argument by simply agreeing with me right at the start and stating that you weren’t interested in whether the world was a better place now than just after the war. End of discussion as far as I’m concerned ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/193 "2019-11-11T15:42:45Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I appreciate the sentiment, but I object to being lumped in with Those People. Are you ? (hint : that has been adressed in the thread. Multiple times.) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/194 "2019-11-11T15:47:59Z")
Just because you assert something doesn’t mean it’s true. It reminds me of using racial slurs and defending it by saying you only mean the “bad” members of that race. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/195 "2019-11-11T15:59:34Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > (hint : that has been adressed in the thread. Multiple times.) No time to read the thread. Nevertheless, I had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/196 "2019-11-11T15:59:44Z")
No, but really though, is he ? Has \*anyone \*told him “OK, boomer” ? Because if not, he should probably refer back to post #87 (written by a self-described boomer, one might add). ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/197 "2019-11-11T16:19:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > No time to read the thread. > > Nevertheless, I had to say it. It’s nuanced, and this thread has many interesting angles. I recommend reading it if you are able. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/198 "2019-11-11T17:48:16Z")
Not sure why the catchphrase of the moment got so much media attention. I find it amusing. Does anything really stop Boomers from talking? This phrase will soon join the anthology of departed memes, from “Smooth move, Ex Lax” to “All hat and no cattle”. ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/199 "2019-11-11T17:57:45Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > You mean I asked you questions? I mean you completely missed the very obvious point I was trying to make while asking overly pedantic questions in an effort to reframe the discussion so that you can try and score a point. That behavior is exactly the type of bullshit OK Boomer is used to dismiss. Thus, you were dismissed. ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162/200 "2019-11-11T18:07:58Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > One of the gifts of age is the wisdom to understand how little you actually knew when you were young. Ever since we came out of trees and crawled out of caves the new generation has always thought the older one didn’t know what the hell they were talking about. And here you are thinking you discovered something new. It’s pretty amusing. This is another excellent example of the condescending, paternalistic bullshit masquerading as “wisdom” that OK Boomer is designed to dismiss. No one is saying that older folks don’t have valuable things to contribute. No one is saying that younger folks know it all. No one thinks they have discovered anything new…well, other than OK Boomer can piss off some older folks quite easily. It’s that bullshit attitude of “I was born before you and I haven’t died yet so naturally I know how to navigate [insert topic of disagreement here] better than everyone younger than myself.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-boomer/843162.md?page=11)