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Where boomers and millennials “R” both OK

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As if we needed one more reason to be divided. On top of huge chasms in politics, conservative and liberal philosophies, racial divides, and the ever widening gulf between the haves and the have-nots, we now have a generational divide fueled by a movement started on social media and legitimized on the floor of the New Zealand Parliament as “OK boomer.” 

If you’ve missed it so far, the meme “OK boomer” has become popular among young Gen Zers and millennials towards any person over 40 who says something condescending about them, or the issues that matter to them. It’s a way of saying the older generation is out of touch, close-minded, and looking down on them. It’s as if to say, “OK, you baby boomer. Go ahead and just keep thinking your backwards, irrelevant thoughts that we’re just spoiled, tech-obsessed children, when you’ve wrecked our job prospects and our planet.”

This is the last thing we need right now — more ways of dividing our culture. Here at the Catch, the story is quite different. We have been celebrating, for some time now, the similarities between boomers and millennials. We have noticed that millennials have been frequenting our site and we welcome them with open arms and open minds. As boomers, we want to learn. We believe that millennials have a lot to say to Christians in this country and to the church. We see some of the same questions we had when we were struggling with the institutional church in the ‘60s and ‘70s. We hear you and we want to learn more.

We have a millennial on our board and we meet regularly with Christian millennial leaders here in southern California. I have always been in close touch with Christian colleges in America and Canada, listening to students and learning what their issues are. Our music on Music that Matters Radio is designed to connect new music with the same spirit found in original Jesus Music because we are singing the same tune. We are working on a page for our website that will showcase the writing and the voices of millennials. We are working together, side by side, in building the kingdom of God on earth and preparing for the new frontier. The Body of Christ is multi-generational — we need each other.

Here at the Catch we reject the “OK boomer” sentiment and prefer be a place where boomers and millennials are both OK.

3 responses to “Where boomers and millennials “R” both OK”

  1. John A Fagliano

    Sadly, I think I know just where this “OK Boomer” sentiment comes from. How often do we older folks mention how much better our lives were when we were young because we didn’t spend all day looking at our phones. It amounts to the age-old “we were better than you” message every young generation hears from older folks. Perhaps what the younger generations are not aware of is how much we heard it all too. Boomers had parents who hated rock & roll, (It was the devil’s music) and who thought long hair and tie-dyed clothes looked like trash. Young boomers were considered immoral because they smoked pot and protested the Vietnam war. Have we forgotten?

    As younger boomer ( born in 1960) I frequent Youtube for music, listening to songs from the 70’s and 80’s. Scrolling through the comments, what I read is always the same. “Music was so much better then. It’s just trash today” Lately, I’ve even heard that said about music from the 90’s. It makes me laugh. When we were young did we ever think we would say that?

    As boomers we questioned a generation. Now that we are older we should listen to the questions of the younger generations because we might find out they are no different from ours.

    I always thought my parents generation didn’t understand what it was like to be young. That was because I never really listened to a song that I remember as a child. It came out in 1968. It was not about boomers. It was about people older than that. It was about folks who were old in 1968 and they were remembering being young. It’s message, I now realize is timeless. It’s every young generation ever. Here is that song:

    Once upon a time there was a tavern
    Where we used to raise a glass or two
    Remember how we laughed away the hours
    And dreamed of all the great things we would do

    Those were the days my friend
    We thought they’d never end
    We’d sing and dance forever and a day
    We’d live the life we choose
    We’d fight and never lose
    For we were young and sure to have our way.
    La la la la…

    Then the busy years went rushing by us
    We lost our starry notions on the way
    If by chance I’d see you in the tavern
    We’d smile at one another and we’d say

    Those were the days my friend
    We thought they’d never end
    We’d sing and dance forever and a day
    We’d live the life we choose
    We’d fight and never lose
    Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
    La la la la…

    Just tonight I stood before the tavern
    Nothing seemed the way it used to be
    In the glass I saw a strange reflection
    Was that lonely woman really me

    Those were the days my friend
    We thought they’d never end
    We’d sing and dance forever and a day
    We’d live the life we choose
    We’d fight and never lose
    Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
    La la la la…

    Through the door there came familiar laughter
    I saw your face and heard you call my name
    Oh my friend we’re older but no wiser
    For in our hearts the dreams are still the same

    Those were the days my friend
    We thought they’d never end
    We’d sing and dance forever and a day
    We’d live the life we choose
    We’d fight and never lose
    Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
    La la la la…

    “Those Were the Days” by Mary Hopkin

    Reply
  2. jwfisch

    Great thoughts and thanks for the song.

    Reply
  3. Rona Orme

    At our service of Remembrance to mark the Armistice, here in Poole, UK the vicar invited 1 person from each decade – under 10s, 10-20 etc – to light a candle to show that praying for peace and honouring those who served their country is the work of all generations. The oldest candle-lighter was 93. 10 candles of hope and commitment. It was inspiring

    Reply

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