Boomers and their video calling obsession?

[Finlesswonder]

Anyone else noticed this? Work and family members, if they're a boomer then 9 times out of 10 they try to video call you. I think they discovered this during lockdown and have now become obsessed
I'm a millennial btw

A lot of younger generations have had to put up with it. “Millennials” was almost always used in a derogatory manner for about 10-15 years. They we’re obviously not the first generation to draw the ire of the older generations but it coincided with the rise of clickbaity online journalism and social media, so they suffered an onslaught of negativity (much of it from Boomers). It’s likely why Millennials have become the most self-hating generation. Gen Z haven’t been getting a great ride either.

Obviously, the best thing would be for the younger generations to rise above inter-generational bickering and take the high road, but I’m not going to shed a tear because some younger people have decided to return fire. The sudden complaints about “Boomer” being pejorative are particularly ironic against the backdrop of the “Millennial Snowflake” trope that was peddled far and wide.

The 'Millennial Snowflake ' trope was mainly peddled by the tabloid press. I never heard any of it in real life.

I have, many times, including when a landlord unsuccessful tried to bring a claim against my wife (to keep her deposit) and was instead ordered to pay her damages. He sent an electronic fund transfer (for the damages) with the security question “snowflake generation?” and you can guess the password.

It was also frequently used on this forum until not so long ago (still popping up from time to time).

I think in a country where real wages have been going down for over a decade but pensions are protected by a triple lock, it is to be expected that the younger generation will resent the older one.

WRT housing, we bought our first house with a mortgage based on our first year's employment income. A flat in Hampstead, which was worth 4x our joint income. Today, the same flat is worth well over 10x the starting salary in the equivalent jobs. Completely unattainable to a couple starting out.

So when the older generation won't accept that we had it much easier than young people have it now, it's normal that they would get pissed off. Owning our privilege a little would go a long way towards reducing intergenerational tension. And if it comes to a conflict between generations, let's face it, it's not us oldies who are going to win out.

I'm not a boomer, but not too far off. My mother is a boomer (first year). And she does irritate me with her desire to switch to video all the time.

There was a thread on here a while ago where someone used "millennial snowflake" or very similar and there were plenty of baby boomer/Generation X taking them to task for it (as they should)

These lazy tropes are without nuance and do nothing other than cause division.

I knew you were a millennial before I even opened the thread. If your parents do something you find annoying that's about you and them, not an entire group of millions of people born over a 20 year period. FWIW the Silent Generation, Gen X and Gen Z all think the Millennials and Boomers are as bad as each other, I know this because I asked my parents and my children and we all agree 🙄.

Surely a lot of Boomers are the parents of milennials and Gen Z?

I am not of a mindset to condemn entire generations. It's lazy stereotyping!

I knew you were a millennial before I even opened the thread.
🙄

I’m the parent of one Gen X and three millennials. Too right it’s lazy stereotyping.

Statement below from Age Awareness as to why "boomer" as a term is unacceptable and offensive. Many social media platforms have banned its use. Fortunately for you @Finlesswonder Mumsnet is sadly not one of them. Doesn't make your attitude any less reprehensible.

"Social media is a useful tool yet is being increasingly used for purposes of expressing antagonistic stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination against older adults. This commentary draws on social media trending topics (e.g., “OK, Boomer,” “Boomer Remover”) to demonstrate how generalizations have: (a) exacerbated ageism on social media, and (b) further exposed ongoing tensions between so-called “Millennial” and “Baby Boomer” generations in ways that are targeted against the older generation and serve in favor of younger ones. The implications of this ageist discourse in and on society needs to be discussed. Anti-ageism efforts by social media users and organizations need to be highlighted. We need to bring awareness to and resist ageism that depersonalizes and dehumanizes older adults and undervalues later life."

That statement does not say that “Boomer” is an offensive or unacceptable term….

It says it’s ageist. Is ageism now inoffensive or acceptable?

It does not say that the word “Boomer” is ageist (because it isn’t).

It says that the specific phrases “OK, Boomer” and “Boomer Remover” are (because they are).

Oh please!

Right back at you.

It's the same type of thread as the one pretending to be so concerned for the "lonely" double income no kids friends of the OP - only this one isn't even attempting to hide the contempt. How very dare these people live differently from OPs! 😱

These lazy tropes are without nuance and do nothing other than cause division

In a nutshell. This country is becoming more and more divided and polarised. I can't remember any time in my forty years of adult life where division and and blame has been so much to the fore as it had been in the last decade. And it's getting worse.

MNHQ will apparently only remove references to boomers if the word is directed to an individual as a personal attack.

they also say its robust debate and posters should be able to challenge each other. I despair honestly.

The best gold plated non contributory pensions I ever saw actually belonged to what I have now learned is the "Silent Generation". Imagine that!

I only heard of some of these labels like 'silent generation' very recently on Mumsnet. I knew I was part of the post war baby boom and this increase was taken to be a good thing - the end of the War and a generally positive attitude, the Welfare State - free milk and orange juice etc., the NHS. The term was never used pejoratively until recently. The term Millennials came into being because of .. the Milennium ... which is just a convenient marker in history.

My point being - why is it necessary to label people according to which year on either side of an arbitrary point they happened to be born? People who lived through a World War will have some different perspectives to those born after certainly. Younger people may be affected by what age they were during Covid and what opportunities and experiences they missed out on but I still don't see the need for age labels. Small children who missed out on early pre-school socialisation and current 2nd year University students who missed out on experiencing formal school exams will be affected differently, for instance, Are they to be lumped together with one meaningless label - because many will also have sailed through without any problems.

It’s true. My parents were members of the Great Generation. My dad (born 1916) had two final salary pensions that he drew at 62. Before he qualified for his state pension at 65 he - quite legitimately - signed on and got unemployment benefit for three years! He was a pensioner for 37 years.

Millennial snowflake = OK boomer

Millennial = boomer

It's not an insult to refer to generations. If someone started a thread called "why do millennials struggle to answer the phone?" I wouldn't be thinking "OMFG how offensive, #NotAllMillemnials, I don't have an issue picking up the phone, in fact I LOVE picking up the phone!".

What this thread shows us is just how fragile boomer egos seem to be.

I'm sorry if there's just one generation who seem to feel their collective name is a slur. Maybe ask yourself why that is. Gen X, millennials, Gen Z and the silent generation don't have the same issue

You despair, yet here you are. 2 days and 20 pages along and you're still clinging

Maybe ask yourself why that is.

Maybe you ask yourself why that is. After you’ve dropped your faux naivety.