My Take on “OK Boomer”
The meme of the moment was accelerated by this New York Times article marking the end of friendly generational relations. Beyond the fact that the old cranky dude preaching in the TikTok video doesn’t vaguely resemble a Modern Elder who is as curious as they are wise, let’s accept that it was Boomers who created the original “generation gap” in the 1960s.
For decades, our respective generations have operated like isolated countries with different dialects on the same continent. We share a border, but don’t necessarily trust each other enough to share our respective wisdom. I’ve come to believe that opening up these pipelines of intergenerational wisdom is the essential trade agreement for our times.
We need to create a “New Generational Compact.” There are a number of long-term issues that require all hands-on-deck across the generations, whether the issue is climate change, new tribalism, the role of tech, biotech, and artificial intelligence in society, the opportunities and costs of increased longevity, or space travel.
Framing these big issues as requiring a cross-generational perspective helps older people feel a sense of legacy while addressing younger people’s sense of urgency. Let’s reject the language of intergenerational conflict. And, most importantly, let’s stop preaching and start listening.
