Know Your Meme gives the history of this expression: OK boomer is a viral internet slang phrase used, often in a humorous or ironic manner, to call out or dismiss out-of-touch or close-minded opinions associated with the baby boomer generation and older people more generally.
The exact origin of the phrase is currently unknown. The earliest instances of its use on Twitter can be traced to April 2018, with users utilizing the catchphrase to respond to tweets written by politicians and to tweets criticizing Gen Z generation and Millennials.
The catchphrase did not see significant spread until January 2019.
Starting in mid-January 2019, the image received spread on Twitter as a reaction and was reposted on multiple Instagram accounts.
Through 2019, the catchphrase saw extensive use in memes on Instagram, iFunny, Reddit and other social networks and maintained popularity as a reaction, primarily used to mock and debase opinions offered by baby boomers and older people in general.
On October 29th, 2019, The New York Times published an article "'OK boomer' Marks End of Friendly Generational Relations", reporting about the meme.
Per the New York Times:
"“Ok boomer” has become Generation Z’s endlessly repeated retort to the problem of older people who just don’t get it, a rallying cry for millions of fed up kids. Teenagers use it to reply to cringey YouTube videos, Donald Trump tweets, and basically any person over 30 who says something condescending about young people — and the issues that matter to them....
“The older generations grew up with a certain mind-set, and we have a different perspective...A lot of them don’t believe in climate change or don’t believe people can get jobs with dyed hair, and a lot of them are stubborn in that view. Teenagers just respond, ‘Ok, boomer.’ It’s like, we’ll prove you wrong, we’re still going to be successful because the world is changing.”
And now you know.
How you use this knowledge is up to you, but I didn't want you to enter 2020 without knowing.
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