Finding Common Ground: Boomers and Millennials Unite!
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Chapter 1: The Generational Truce
It’s time for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing criticisms exchanged between our generations. We truly share more similarities than we often acknowledge.
Photo by Giacomo Lucarini on Unsplash
Yes, I proudly identify as a Baby Boomer! If you frequently read articles here on Crow’s Feet and resonate with our insights, chances are you share this generational label. We are an intriguing group that has experienced a great deal in life.
However, there’s a growing frustration among us, and you might feel similarly: the jokes regarding our supposed lack of tech skills and being “out of touch” with modern trends. It's disheartening to feel overlooked and undervalued because of our age.
The phrase “OK, Boomer” emerged a few years back, humorously dismissing our lifestyle and the stereotype of our generation chasing wealth and material possessions. Yet, it has evolved into a broader dismissal of our values, experiences, and even our advice.
Before I get too self-righteous, I must confess that I’ve also thrown my share of jabs at Millennials. I’ve critiqued their need for constant validation at work and their impatience with life’s processes, as if all 72 million Millennials behave that way.
And honestly, Dear Millennial, I don’t need to see a snapshot of every meal you’ve enjoyed or every airport lounge you’ve waited in before your journey. It feels like an overload of sharing!
It’s time for Boomers to stop caricaturing Millennials, just as we wish for them to refrain from writing us off with a dismissive “OK, Boomer.”
In truth, we have a wealth of common ground, and instead of being pitted against each other by memes and jokes, we should celebrate our shared experiences.
Section 1.1: Similarities Across Generations
In many respects, Baby Boomers and Millennials are quite alike.
The Largest Generational Groups
Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, number nearly 70 million today. There’s even a subset known as Boomers II for those born between 1955 and 1964, sometimes referred to as “Generation Jones” due to our consumer habits in the 1980s.
Millennials, or Gen Y, on the other hand, were born from 1981 to 1996 and have now surpassed Boomers with a population of 72 million. This group also splits into two subcategories: Gen Y.1 (1988-1996) and Gen Y.2 (1981-1987).
Sandwiched between these two massive groups are the often-overlooked Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980, numbering approximately 65.2 million. Despite being a significant demographic, they often don’t receive the attention they deserve due to their perceived lesser purchasing power compared to Boomers and Millennials.
Consider what unites individuals who came of age during the 1960s and 70s with those who matured in the 1990s and 2000s.
Section 1.2: Understanding Our Lingo
Both generations have their own jargon, which the other often misunderstands—yet we are capable of understanding each other. How many Boomers have learned to text their children or grandchildren using shorthand like IMO (in my opinion), LMK (let me know), BRB (be right back), and GFR (get “freaking” real)?
Even I recognize that using LOL (laugh out loud) in messages is a clear indicator of being “out of it” (or OOI).
Recently, I came across an article claiming that Millennials are clueless about our slang from yesteryears. Terms like “funky,” “hippie,” and “right on”—seriously? I bet many younger folks have caught a few episodes of “The Brady Bunch” on YouTube to grasp that “groovy” means “cool.”
Some phrases I use, passed down from my depression-era parents, such as “turn a blind eye,” often require explanation to the Millennials around me. These expressions naturally entered my vocabulary, making them second nature.
Section 1.3: The Power of Demographics
Boomers and Millennials are the two largest demographic groups in the U.S., making us significant targets for consumer goods and the advertising campaigns designed to attract us. Both groups are familiar with being stereotyped and misrepresented in marketing.
As a proud AARP member, I'm well aware of the outdated imagery used to depict us. A caricature of an older woman in a rocking chair with knitting needles doesn’t reflect the vibrant lifestyles of most of my contemporaries in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Similarly, portraying a Millennial guy in a backward baseball cap, playing video games, is an unfair representation of all Millennial men—many of whom are now in their early 40s, likely juggling mortgages and parenting responsibilities.