Does denying being a Boomer confirm that you really are one?

My husband was born in 1964, which makes him a Baby Boomer. He doesn’t want to be a Boomer, so he scoured the internet and found a source which put the first year of Gen X at 1964 instead of 1965. Our children and I (born in 1966) just respond, “Okay, Boomer.” How can we convince him that his insistence on not being a Boomer actually confirms that he is one?
S.S., Canberra, ACT

Credit: Simon Letch

A: I was born in 1963 and don’t want to be a Boomer either. Being at the tail end of Boomerdom means we get lumped in with all the rapidly ageing, goitre-necked, soup-guzzling Doobie Brothers groovers – which isn’t fair. I’m nothing like them.

I’m a rapidly ageing, goitre-necked, soup-guzzling Hall & Oates hipster – I’m still a young, vibrant soul. And Boomers have a bad reputation. They’re seen as patronising, power-clinging wealth hoarders, born in the privileged postwar years, possibly the result of a drunken backseat quickie on V-Day, 1945.

So I get why your husband would rather be Gen X. But to be honest, Gen-Xers aren’t so great either – no generation is. Gen X-ers are seen as cynical slackers, Millennials are portrayed as coddled softies, Gen Z’s are all ADD narcissists and Gen A’s are about seven years old. Really, the only generation anyone would want to be part of is the Greatest Generation, who are now in their early 100s, so that’s not ideal either.

Tell your husband to embrace his Boomer-ness: it’s the best of a mediocre generational lot. And please, no more of those cruel “Okay, Boomer” taunts. Remember all the great things Boomers have done for the world. We gave the world disco. And we made pine nuts popular. And other stuff, too. We deserve a more respectful, “You’re okay, Boomer. Nothing special. But okay.”

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