14 Reasons So Many People Resent Boomers

Boomers have been criticized by many people in the current generation. The phrase “OK Boomer” has been used to dismiss any criticism from this generation as being out-of-touch and utterly oblivious to the world around them. But why all the hate? These reasons may explain why some people despise Boomers so much.

Their Impact on Society and The Economy

Boomers were born right after the Second World War, during what was called the postwar Baby Boom (which is where the name Boomer comes from). These people grew up in a wealthy society with a relatively low cost of living and more opportunities for everyone in every social class.

Naturally, people born during this time greatly impacted society, what was considered acceptable, and the growth and development of the economy. Today’s income and social inequality trace back to the days of the Boomers when certain people got to decide who progressed and who was held back.

Failure to Understand Later Generations

Some Boomers give the entire generation a bad rap because they think everything began and ended with their generation. Instead of trying to understand how society and culture have changed from their days, they hold onto what their generation did and put down anything that isn’t in that mold.

Most people would be glad to find a middle-ground with someone who is older than them to learn from their experience. Unfortunately, the worst of the Boomers make that a challenging prospect with their competitive mindset. It makes conversing with such a person more of a chore than a pleasure.

Runaway Spending While in Government

The people who currently make up the US government are almost all in this generation, and it shows in the way they use the money in government. Because these people don’t have to worry about what comes next, they can do as they please with government spending.

Current generations are asking hard questions about whether they should be responsible for keeping these people afloat financially in a hostile economy while they can barely afford their own expenses. These questions have undermined trust in social programs and may have an impact on society for generations.

Political Ideas and Divisiveness

Social media has made it easy for anyone to voice their opinion publicly. This has led to severe political divisiveness between younger and older generations. Boomers hold fast to the social and economic norms of their day, but those ideas are outdated in the 21^st century.

Younger generations have realized that harmony and progressive values are how a society can grow and develop together. Because these ideas are usually at loggerheads with what Boomers believe, they tend to stoke the fires of division that exist between political lines and affiliation.

Affordable Housing

When talking to Boomers, it’s sometimes apparent that they come from a completely different time. Many talk about putting a downpayment on their houses in their twenties or thirties and wonder aloud why it’s taking so long for the current generation to do the same thing.

The current housing market is a mess, and it’s nearly impossible to afford a house at today’s prices. Boomers who say these things don’t understand how the housing market has changed and probably didn’t realize how many people got burned in the 2008 housing market bubble crash.

“Grass is Greener” Syndrome

Many people of the current generation have an idealized view of how things were back when Boomers were young. Part of this view comes from stories they got from older generations, and part of it comes from comparisons with modern life. The struggles that Boomers faced were significantly different from those that today’s youth faced.

It’s easy to be resentful when you think the older generation had it easier, especially if they try to make it sound like they had it harder. The truth is somewhere in the middle. While Boomers weren’t effortlessly succeeding, they had different challenges than those of the younger generation, some harder and some easier.

Riding The Tide of a Booming Economy

At the end of World War II, when the Boomers were kids, the US economy was the strongest in the world. The fallout of that economy was a society with abundant jobs and opportunities. It was easy to obtain at least a modicum of success at whatever you were doing.

Fast-forward to today, and the world is a grimmer place. The economy has run into several crashes over the last few decades. Job markets are oversaturated, and unemployment rates see-saw from year to year. Many younger people resent Boomers for growing up in an opulent society since they may never experience something like that.

Painted With The Same Brush

Many young people like to think that people fit into certain groups. It’s easy to label all Boomers as the same thing without thinking too hard about it. Yet Boomers, just like everyone else who may fall into a group, are individuals with their own opinions and feelings.

Coincidentally, this “grouping” behavior is partially why Boomers dislike younger generations. It leads to a lack of diversity in thought and causes lazy thinking. It might take some effort from both sides to dispel this sort of thinking and lead to a more rational approach from each of them.

The Boomer Attitude

If anyone has ever argued with a Boomer, either online or in person, many have an attitude that makes it impossible to have a civil discussion. They approach social situations with a different sort of outlook than people of a different generation. Sometimes, their attitude leads to arguments.

While this applies to some Boomers, it’s not the same for every one of them. Each person’s attitude is unique, and how they approach a discussion might differ from how others do. It’s important to remember this when talking to a Boomer so we don’t fall prey to prejudice ourselves.

Entitlement Mentality

It’s not uncommon to hear certain Boomers talk about what they deserve. While it’s normal to think that certain things are rewards for a life well-lived, some Boomers believe they are entitled to things over other people. This mentality comes from their view of the world and how it was when they were young.

Today’s generations understand that you only get what you work for, and sometimes you don’t even get that. It’s a hard lesson to teach a Boomer who was taught about working hard and waiting for their rewards. In today’s world, where rewards are needed quickly, the generational divide becomes obvious with Boomers’ entitled nature.

An Aversion To New Technology

Boomers saw a technological revolution happen right before their eyes. Unfortunately, most of them ignored it as the world changed around them. Now, they’re afraid of the things they don’t know about and get angry when people make fun of that fear.

With many modern generations instinctively knowing how to use technology to their benefit, the generational divide becomes more expansive. Anyone who has tried to explain technology to a Boomer who hates it knows how difficult it is. This division leads many people to hate Boomers who refuse to adopt new technology.

Environmental Impact

Everyone in the last few generations has understood our dire environmental situation. The developments during the Boomers’ generation led to severe and potentially catastrophic environmental destruction. This destruction is easily seen in the increased amount and severity of natural disasters today.

Many people from the current generations hold the Boomers responsible for putting the world and humanity into such a precarious situation. While it’s obvious not all Boomers are to blame, and many of the impacts weren’t apparent until relatively recently, people still hold it as a reason to hate Boomers.

Healthcare Needs

As Boomers get older, they cause a drain on the healthcare system. More resources are needed to care for them and deal with their illnesses. This means there’s less to go around for younger generations. Additionally, the Boomers use some of the health insurance paid in by current generations.

This fact leads a lot of people to hate Boomers because they’re leeching off the system. Modern medical advancement means that people live longer, but Boomers are no longer contributing to health insurance despite benefitting from it. It’s led to many people having to pay health insurance, despising Boomers.

Wealth Disparity

There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor, and part of that gap is due to the Boomers’ generation. People at the top of society continue to get richer, while those at the bottom of the economic ladder continue to get poorer. This hierarchical system established itself during the Boomers’ time in the workforce.

Boomers had the advantage of starting their working life in a prosperous economy. The wealth they garnered from this economic golden age catapulted them to the top of the social ladder. Now, they remain there because of their decisions, and those in the current generation who are still at the bottom of the ladder hate them for it.

What Can Be Done?

Boomers are not a monolithic group of people. While some people may display the characteristics of a stereotypical Boomer, they are all individuals with their own ideas and opinions. Some young people think and act the way stereotypical Boomers do, showing it’s not about the age; it’s about the mentality.

While some Boomers may be unreachable, others can be pretty reasonable. Engaging them in discussion and finding out what they think without judging them too harshly is essential. They are products of a different time, and while that doesn’t excuse them from feeling a certain way, it helps to inform us why they do.