Nov 6, 2019
25-year-old New Zealand lawmaker Chlöe Swarbrick responded to a heckling colleague during her speech about the threats of climate change with the internet meme "OK, boomer," reports the Washington Post.
Why it matters: Millennials and Generation Zers have coined the phrase "OK, boomer" as a retort against older generations' patronization. The phrase first found viral fame on social media — notably, TikTok — thanks to a generational divide on issues like student debt and climate change.
- Swarbrick was arguing in support of legislation that would set New Zealand's carbon emissions target at zero by 2050.
- In her speech, she noted she'll be 56 in 2050 — when the average age of New Zealand's current Parliament is 49.
What she's saying: Swarbrick has responded to criticism over her retort on Facebook.
"Today I have learnt that responding succinctly and in perfect jest to somebody heckling you about *your age* as you speak about the impact of climate change on *your generation* with the literal title of their generation makes some people very mad."
"So I guess millennials ruined humour. That, or we just need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and abstain from avocados. That's the joke."
Go deeper: More younger members of Generation Z use TikTok than Facebook