"Older, Entitled, and Extremely Out-of-Touch": Does "OK, Boomer" Signify the Emergence of a New Older Adult Stereotype?. (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frey, Katelyn T.; Bisconti, Toni L.
• Other Names: Ayalon Liat guest-editor.; Kydd Angela guest-editor.; Hopf Stefan guest-editor.; Mannheim Ittay guest-editor.; Casal-Sanchez Lola guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied gerontology. Volume 42:Number 6(2023)
• Page Start: 1200
• Page End: 1211
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: baby boomers -- age stereotypes -- ageism -- microaggressions -- intergenerational communication; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 362.6
• DOI: 10.1177/07334648231154044
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0733-4648

Abstract

"OK, Boomer" is a phrase used to dismiss an older person for their perceived out-of-touch or offensive beliefs. The popularity of this retort suggests the presence of intergenerational tension; this study explores how the use of "OK, Boomer" relates to the current age stereotype literature. Results indicated that this literature base does not adequately capture how younger adults perceived the titular "Boomer, " and therefore, we used interpretive phenomenological analysis to identify seven unique characteristics ascribed to "Boomers": closed-minded, argumentative, out-of-touch, offensive, critical, nostalgic, and/or conservative. Future work should monitor how derogatory age-based internet jargon influences ageism and intergenerational relations.