Ok, Boomer? Good Luck, Millennial. Ageism in Today’s World
Yesterday, we were at home. Today, we are at home… and we all know that it will be the same for tomorrow, too. Saving the world in our pajamas and feeling déjà vu for the 397th day in a row.
How can we stay positive in this environment? By distracting ourselves with images of puppies and kittens, of course.
But at some point we jump onto social media and end up going down the rabbit hole of reading comments. I, for one, am guilty of this. I actually made a New Year’s resolution to stop reading comments on Facebook. That plan lasted for a few weeks. Once covid cases started rising again, I was glued to my computer screen. The bad habit was back, pulling me into the world wide web of keyboard warriors and soapbox screamers.
Most of us have done this (ones with social media) and it becomes tiring and pointless. It only brings to light our differences and how unaccepting we are. Yes, we want to say we don’t feel that way, but we do, no matter what age, race, or gender we are.
Every person on this planet is different and that is good. We grew up wanting to be different and yet we are all the same. We are all human. We need air, we need water, we need money, and we need love. We do not need hate, greed, or anger.
So, why are we doing this to ourselves? Why are we peering through this window and silently passing judgment onto others? I can say I do it because I am bored. I am finding it hard to focus on anything else in my life. Looking into someone else’s world distracts me from my own. Or maybe it is just an excuse to be lazy.
Ok, boomer was the most common phrase of 2019 and continued into 2020. Ageism is a form or discrimination that is not widely noticed or even thought about in society as a whole. It also tends to publicly be directed towards an older generation. Why is that? I like to think it is because age brings wisdom. But that is an ageist statement in its self.
The pandemic has made the generational gap even more apparent. Most boomers want millennials to take a seat and listen to their elders. Millennials on the other hand, want boomers to step aside so they can take the reins.
Do we pass on the torch? Well, it has to happen at some point and we really don’t have the choice, do we? Who is going to invent the hover board or that maid robot we have been waiting for? Maybe we can create spaces where all generations can connect and learn from one another, as a community and individually.
Lets hope that when we can gather once again, we will embrace each other’s beauty instead of hiding behind our masks of sorrow.
Some day soon, we will reunite and reveal our smiles and greet each other with acceptance and kindness.
Full disclaimer – I identify as a Gen X
Written by Katie Graham