{discussion} "ok boomer"

[The Rich Port]

What next, are you guys going to ban the awesome new word, factcism™, as invented, popularized, and codified by everyone's favorite word-smith, The Rich Port? That guy's a swell guy

Ah but depressed, lonely advertisement aside (plz lov meh ._.).

In continuation of the NationStates forums' opposition of the anti-"Liberals are Special Snowflakes" movement, I agree that the terms should be banned.

We banned the "attack helicopter" meme for a reason, after all, and it was a good reason: NationStates isn't a safe space for jerks, and I am proud of that.

The mods do good work, and while we shouldn't make it harder for them... It's up to them if they want to make it harder for themselves, I guess.

It's up to y'all though, for real, we don't make the rulz

[Samadhi]

I'd like to point out that boomer is more than an age group.
You can be my age and be a boomer. It's more an outdated meta concept insult than an age one.

Things like cafe communism, the welfare state, the ideas that we're all in this together, or that experience matters or even enforced diversity and reasonable discussion is effective, the hysterical liberal/conservative should all be taken as boomerisms, and part of reading context for this ruling.

Of course this includes the very reason for this sites existence.

It's pretty much everything but believe in yourself, leave people alone and don't get worked up.

Not true. By that logic there are 75 year old millennials. This is especially ridiculous considering that baby boomers are the only generation with an actual, objective definition, at least in my country (United States). The youngest boomers are 54 right now, so the idea of someone my age being one is clearly a mindset stuck a good twenty years in the past itself.

And to restate my opinion on the topic: I've been sick of "millennial" used as a slur for long enough, so how about we not make "boomer" a slur too, mmkay? There are better and more meaningful ways to rebut an argument than by responding with the ad hominem of "okay, person born between 1946-1964."

There's no 75 year old millennial, no one that old has that bad a life

[Arumdaum]

Saying "ok boomer" is dismissive and accuses the other of being attached to outdated ideas and values. Definitely snarky and targets an age group in a way, but I think it's fine.

What if someone calls another "kiddo" or says the other person is like a 12, 14, or 15 year old?

Responding with just "ok boomer" to a post is like responding to a post with just

"cool story bro"
"Sure/Cool"
"Sure, whatever."

It's a bit of an indication that one is tired of or done with having the debate as well while still providing a (minimal) response.

[Torrocca]

"Ok boomer" is just bullshit reactionary drivel no different nor better than the tired "millennial snowflakes" trope and shit like that which does nothing but spur on even more inter-generational hatred and (pretty much just verbal) conflict. Ain't no war but the class war after all, so of course I'd inherently hate both terms on principle :­P

Destroy it so completely that not even the atoms of its pixels remain.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

"Ok boomer" is just bullshit reactionary drivel no different nor better than the tired "millennial snowflakes" trope and shit like that which does nothing but spur on even more inter-generational hatred and (pretty much just verbal) conflict. Ain't no war but the class war after all, so of course I'd inherently hate both terms on principle :­P

Destroy it so completely that not even the atoms of its pixels remain.

Let's not go that far. It should be allowed, but only if there is an argument in the post as well, not just that stupid one line. I find that a post just saying "OK Boomer!" to be spammy.

[Torrocca]

"Ok boomer" is just bullshit reactionary drivel no different nor better than the tired "millennial snowflakes" trope and shit like that which does nothing but spur on even more inter-generational hatred and (pretty much just verbal) conflict. Ain't no war but the class war after all, so of course I'd inherently hate both terms on principle :­P

Destroy it so completely that not even the atoms of its pixels remain.

Let's not go that far. It should be allowed, but only if there is an argument in the post as well, not just that stupid one line. I find that a post just saying "OK Boomer!" to be spammy.

Nah, tactically nuke it from orbit*.

*Obviously ironic, sarcastic, or self-deprecating versions should be allowed to stay, as well as ones in quotes and actual arguments.

[The New California Republic]

"Ok boomer" is just bullshit reactionary drivel no different nor better than the tired "millennial snowflakes" trope and shit like that which does nothing but spur on even more inter-generational hatred and (pretty much just verbal) conflict. Ain't no war but the class war after all, so of course I'd inherently hate both terms on principle :­P

Destroy it so completely that not even the atoms of its pixels remain.

Let's not go that far. It should be allowed, but only if there is an argument in the post as well, not just that stupid one line. I find that a post just saying "OK Boomer!" to be spammy.

But again if that is enforced using that standard, i.e. regarding it as spam, then it would also apply to "cool story bro","sure/cool","sure, whatever", "NO U", "lol no" etc as well...

[LiberNovusAmericae]

Let's not go that far. It should be allowed, but only if there is an argument in the post as well, not just that stupid one line. I find that a post just saying "OK Boomer!" to be spammy.

But again if that is enforced using that standard, i.e. regarding it as spam, then it would also apply to "cool story bro","sure/cool","sure, whatever", "NO U", "lol no" etc as well...

"Ok Boomer" could be a special case just like trollnaming, so penalizing all the phrases you just listed might be avoidable. Saying "you're just a troll" is considered spam, while saying "sure, whatever" is not.

[The New California Republic]

But again if that is enforced using that standard, i.e. regarding it as spam, then it would also apply to "cool story bro","sure/cool","sure, whatever", "NO U", "lol no" etc as well...

"Ok Boomer" could be a special case just like trollnaming, so penalizing all the phrases you just listed might be avoidable. Saying "you're just a troll" is considered spam, while saying "sure, whatever" is not.

At the moment I don't really see any merit in making it a special case, as I believe that this entire thing will be a storm in a teacup that we will all have forgotten about in 6 months time. If it's still an issue at that point, then there might be a case for making a new rule solely to cover this, but at the moment it seems a bit sledgehammer-ish.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

"Ok Boomer" could be a special case just like trollnaming, so penalizing all the phrases you just listed might be avoidable. Saying "you're just a troll" is considered spam, while saying "sure, whatever" is not.

At the moment I don't really see any merit in making it a special case, as I believe that this entire thing will be a storm in a teacup that we will all have forgotten about in 6 months time. If it's still an issue at that point, then there might be a case for making a new rule solely to cover this, but at the moment it seems a bit sledgehammer-ish.

I get where you're coming from, and I agree its not a huge problem. Well just see what happens in the coming months.

[Ghost Land]

Not true. By that logic there are 75 year old millennials. This is especially ridiculous considering that baby boomers are the only generation with an actual, objective definition, at least in my country (United States). The youngest boomers are 54 right now, so the idea of someone my age being one is clearly a mindset stuck a good twenty years in the past itself.

And to restate my opinion on the topic: I've been sick of "millennial" used as a slur for long enough, so how about we not make "boomer" a slur too, mmkay? There are better and more meaningful ways to rebut an argument than by responding with the ad hominem of "okay, person born between 1946-1964."

There's no 75 year old millennial, no one that old has that bad a life

*laughs*

Nice double standard. "It's okay to use one generation label as an insult based on the stereotypes of that generation, but it's not okay to use a different generation label the same way!"

[Axis Nova]

If you can't post without insulting people, mabye don't post at all.

[Frisbeeteria]

If you can't post without insulting people, mabye don't post at all.

That "whoooosh" sound you would be hearing after such a policy would be the wind of passage as virtually every Gameplay, NSG, and F7 poster left the site.

[Luziyca]

The meme is kind of annoying (as memes are apt to be, I suppose).

My main issue with it isn't in the sense of it being flaming, or an insult, really. It's more along the lines of spam. It's really just a lazy memed up way to say "I'm ignoring everything you've said." It cuts off discussion, it doesn't contribute anything to the thread, and it's rude and sarcastic to boot (which admittedly, there's no shortage of rudeness or sarcasm in NSG anyway). I have seen posts that include the phrase, but then include more substantive content, and I see far less issue with those. But if your whole post just says "ok boomer," that feels pretty spammy to me.

This is pretty much my stance: "ok boomer" should be banned, not so much because it is name-calling, but because "ok boomer" by itself is just spam.

[Torrocca]

If you can't post without insulting people, mabye don't post at all.

That "whoooosh" sound you would be hearing after such a policy would be the wind of passage as virtually every Gameplay, NSG, and F7 poster left the site.

*Egressing with dastardly haste* Your mother was a hamster! :­P

[WayNeacTia]

If you can't post without insulting people, mabye don't post at all.

That "whoooosh" sound you would be hearing after such a policy would be the wind of passage as virtually every Gameplay, NSG, and F7 poster left the site.

I fail to see the downside of this.

[New haven america]

Saying "ok boomer" is dismissive and accuses the other of being attached to outdated ideas and values. Definitely snarky and targets an age group in a way, but I think it's fine.

What if someone calls another "kiddo" or says the other person is like a 12, 14, or 15 year old?

Responding with just "ok boomer" to a post is like responding to a post with just

"cool story bro"
"Sure/Cool"
"Sure, whatever."

It's a bit of an indication that one is tired of or done with having the debate as well while still providing a (minimal) response.

That's still allowed and seen as perfectly fine.

Which is why I don't care about the use of "Ok boomer", because the above mentioned are still totally allowed, then why should this one be the exception?

[Alvecia]

Saying "ok boomer" is dismissive and accuses the other of being attached to outdated ideas and values. Definitely snarky and targets an age group in a way, but I think it's fine.

What if someone calls another "kiddo" or says the other person is like a 12, 14, or 15 year old?

Responding with just "ok boomer" to a post is like responding to a post with just

"cool story bro"
"Sure/Cool"
"Sure, whatever."

It's a bit of an indication that one is tired of or done with having the debate as well while still providing a (minimal) response.

That's still allowed and seen as perfectly fine.

Which is why I don't care about the use of "Ok boomer", because the above mentioned are still totally allowed, then why should this one be the exception?

Probably because in this context, "boomer" is intended as something of a derogatory term.
It's more akin to saying "Whatever dickhead"

[Bears Armed]

Also, it evokes an earworm that -- as the original singer has since been jailed for statutory rape -- i would rather not remember...

[Phoenicaea]

nor i wish to know till end of the days. notice: lasting, of medias inflate words without significance, to let ignorants crop nonsense debates.

[Lockdownn]

That's still allowed and seen as perfectly fine.

Which is why I don't care about the use of "Ok boomer", because the above mentioned are still totally allowed, then why should this one be the exception?

Probably because in this context, "boomer" is intended as something of a derogatory term.
It's more akin to saying "Whatever dickhead"

Then you'd be fine banning the phrase "Whatever, kid." right? Same thing.

[Rainbowsix]

im confused why do people say OK,BOOMER isnt offensive.. but saying your a millennial snowflake is offensive?

[Vivolkha]

In my opinion, the problem is not so much that it is offensive per se (it's not something to make a big fuss about) but rather a reply designed to contribute absolutely nothing to any discussion, and it is intended as an attack attempt and nothing else.

[Arumdaum]

Saying "ok boomer" is dismissive and accuses the other of being attached to outdated ideas and values. Definitely snarky and targets an age group in a way, but I think it's fine.

What if someone calls another "kiddo" or says the other person is like a 12, 14, or 15 year old?

Responding with just "ok boomer" to a post is like responding to a post with just

"cool story bro"
"Sure/Cool"
"Sure, whatever."

It's a bit of an indication that one is tired of or done with having the debate as well while still providing a (minimal) response.

That's still allowed and seen as perfectly fine.

Which is why I don't care about the use of "Ok boomer", because the above mentioned are still totally allowed, then why should this one be the exception?

!

I'm against any action against "ok boomer." Apologies if that wasn't clear.

[Mackjaracotavon]

the mods should just ban the use of it outright.

We don't ban words. We ban contextual actions, such as flaming, trolling, and flamebaiting. Every call is always a judgement call, and we're quite practiced at it.

NSG has enough snark as it is?

It's a pity we can't bottle and sell that. We'd be world leaders in the export biz.

My only other comment against it is that it generally ends up outright spam.