A few weeks ago, my sister told my dad that she had plans to move from Chile to Bali. “But you have just been working for a little bit over a year!” replied my shocked father. “Exactly!” was my sister’s reply. What followed was my dad’s defeated face and the word “millennials” in the form of a sigh.
Fast forward to last week; as we were visiting New York, my dad noticed that most passers-by were using AirPods. “Everyone has them!” he pointed out as he realized that I also had a pair. A few minutes later, a purchase was on his to-do list. Now, he feels very cool when he takes his calls in those fancy-looking headphones. “I’m on trend!” he proudly points out.
While spending time with my dad I tried to identify where his behavior was coming from. It was during this quest that I came up with a word to label his species: Boomerennial.
A Growing Species
Have you ever met people who are goal-centered, self-assured, who have a strong work ethic, and who are quite resourceful? They also use popular sayings in the wrong context (like “woke” at work meetings) and had tried using Twitter but couldn’t find the purpose of it. It’s a growing species. If you have, then you have been face to face with a Boomerennial.
They are in their late fifties or sixties and usually use the word “millennial” in a derogatory way but at the same time own an Instagram account because they want to see how “young people are living nowadays”.
If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
Boomerennials constantly mock Millennials for the way they behave and interact with the world. “You can’t have everything instantly”, “You quit your job already?!”, “Do you actually see your friends, or do you only text them?”. Their list of opinions is neverending. Yet, they are also constantly imitating them. Confusing, right?
This dichotomy is based on an interesting fact: Because Boomerennials grew up in the unstable years following the effects of World War II, they (fairly) wish they were raised in a friendlier environment as Millennials were; this leads them to feel jealous of the possibilities that today’s world gives the younger ones.
Respect!
I find analyzing Bommerennial’s behavior fascinating; It also keeps me entertained. Either way, I hold in respect this group of seventy-somethings who strive to adapt to current times. At the end of the day, adaptation is the only ability that allows us to survive in an unfamiliar environment.
Bravo! Or I should say, lit!