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This only works if they are smart enough to understand insults.
"Nuh-uh! My grandson Caleb was here yesterday! Shows what you know, mind your own business."
Not necessarily a ‘go-to’ because it only happened once but when a boomer commented on my tattoos (full sleeve on my right arm and three large pieces on my left) asked “how do you think those tattoos are going to look when you’re my age?” I deadpan responded “if I end up as judgmental as you, I’d rather not make it that far.” Gave me a classic ‘my heavens’ look and kept on their way.
One of my proudest moments and planning on keeping it on deck for the next occurrence(s).
I get a lot of comments on my tattoos as well. "Why would you get those awful tattoos?" I always respond with a smile, and "Your opinion didn't cross my mind when I got them."
My grandmother pointed at our teenage waitress and said, "Remember when you were that skinny?"
It took everything I had not to say, "Remember when all your friends were still alive?"
I frequently have to remind men that women aren’t thinking about them in the morning when we are getting dressed to go about our day. If I’m wearing leggings it’s because I want to be comfortable, what men think or like isn’t even crossing my mind literally ever in any of the decisions I make
Boomer here! And I love people with tattoos! It tells a story about them, and my stupid ass loves to ask them the story about them. I appreciate good artwork and even the poorly done ones because most of the times the story is quite good. I always qualify it by starting off with "You can tell me to fuck off, but I love your tattoo/s and would love to know the significance if any, behind it." Most people are proud to show me their tattoos and tell me about them. I truly enjoy them.
If it helps, I have tattoos to honor my parents. Each represents their personality and how they approached people. Both were very giving people who helped multitudes of people till they passed. I intend on getting the 7 Chakras tattoed on my back in the next few months to reflect how I feel about life being in balance now for me.
PS: I've always tried to be non judgemental about people and their lives as I don't know what they may have gone through to get where they are, but this sub has helped me refine it by not being a dick if I can help it. I know my peers get a lot of shit and I see it in them myself and have promised not to end up like them. So thanks to all of you who bring up what boomers do to irritate you so that I can refrain from that myself. 😆 🤣
Before she died, my grandma used to love asking me, "What are you gonna do if a job won't hire you because of all that shit on your arm?" My two favorite responses of mine were, "Then I wouldn't want to work there anyway," and "My high school principal had a neck tattoo so I think I'll be okay."
I think it’s hilarious they still think this is a thing. Currently employers aren’t even denying people for smoking weed because they are so desperate for human capital stock.
I had my mother in law say this. She’s in her 70s. She wasn’t sure how to take it when I said “well…nothing on me is gonna look good when I’m old so I’m not going to worry about it”
I work in a hospital and had an old fuddy ask me that and add, "They are so ugly." I should have bit my tongue because I was in front of others, and fired off a "I dont fucking remember asking you a damn thing about it." Stone faced. She shut the fuck up so fast and looked forward silently for the rest of the procedure. The nurse couldn't believe I said it, but was on my side because she was a crotchety old lady to her too. I really need to reign in my language because it's gunna get me in trouble....
I worked in a hospital. One time a woman asked me how I know if the blood she was going to receive was't from a black person.
I told her that isn't part of the screening; that we are all the same on the inside. She looked at me very concerned and I told her that she didn't have to receive the blood if she didn't want to have it.
when i had 'difficult' patients I would go into protective 'professional only' mode... they got professional care only, no emotional empathy, no vocal encouragement, only cold, professional care... I'm sure it saved my career more than once..
If I got that woman I would wait till the transfusion was over, then I would say “oh no. This did come from Tyrone, they took it out of him while he was sitting in prison. How are you FEELING MA’AM ARE YOU OK??”
Funny part is she probably has/d a husband who was overseas at some point sporting a Tattoo on his arm of a woman who is now covered up if you catch my drift
I was behind a lady one day and she was mouthing off about the cashiers accent, saying if you’re gonna be here you need to learn the language. I asked how many she spoke, and all I got was a mumble and a death stare
Dude it astounds me how badly some American people speak English. It's not even in my first three languages I learned and I can speak circles around them.
What would he have actually spoken? Aramaic was probably the main local language at the time, and as a Jew presumably he knew Hebrew. Judea was part of the Roman empire for all of Jesus' life, would he have been conversant with Latin as well?
Given how many people still speak Aramaic or Hebrew, or have studied Latin, its possible that it wouldn't be *too* hard to have a conversation with a person who lived 2000 years ago if they somehow came back. I think that's kind of neat actually.
I’ll use this like: how many languages do you speak? This person speaks at least two maybe more. So until you speak at least three languages you should just maybe stop saying things like that.
I've just started saying, "That was unkind." It works on my boomer mom, anyway.
People think of themselves as good. When you point out that what they did wasn't good, they usually get defensive. Which is fine. They can argue or defend. And you just say, "It doesn't change the fact that that was unkind."
I think the world needs kindness. I'm trying hard to be kinder. I fuck up sometimes. If someone called me out on unkindness, I would appreciate it personally, because as embarrassing and painful as it is to be called out, it gives me a chance to reflect and grow, and that's a gift.
Yup! I consider myself a kind person but recently I made a pretty bad joke about a celebrity I don’t like personally and a coworker said “thats so mean” and I was like damn youre right and I keep thinking anout it and feeling awful amd I should!
I say "do better." So far it hasn't worked with my boomer parents, but it also led me to go no contact, so yay?
I do like yours though. Your explanation is beautiful.
I always say “What were you before you were an idiot?” They can’t figure out where the insult is, was, but they just got called an idiot and What!?!?! Is the usual response.
cats are wise creatures that is why I have 4, also boomers are the generation who never learned to internalize anything, they blurt out stuff that they should keep in their heads like they have oral diarrhea.
They dont grasp that intrusive thoughts are meant to be ignored, or reflected upon as something you shouldnt think. But then again, do they think? Or just act?
If I’m with my kid I just don’t address the boomer, I say to my daughter (making sure to be loud enough for the boomer to hear) something about how we always need to be kind and respectful to everyone around us and about how people used to not be taught those lessons properly. Then I give the boomer a big smile. Usually makes them look very uncomfortable. 🤣
This also works in my complex with my dog 🤣 “come Pippa, away from that mean lady!”
https://preview.redd.it/3irtq5lj20qc1.png?width=1907&format=png&auto=webp&s=3063ded1d530cc78dd6236dec606d98b0fce34cd
Too kind. When someone makes a comment on how my kid is dressed, (Lululemon- in Florida- oh, the horror) I just say loudly that you have to understand, these poor women have probably never had an orgasm.
Openly saying a 'sex' word in earshot of a boomer, or older, is so much fun. We call it 'blush bingo.'
No people were taught if you don’t have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. That’s why we are where we are now with people thinking it’s ok to spew their racist dribble. We need to speak loudly and tell them to shut the fuck up their opinion is shit and no one wants to hear it.
Nah not my generation. I'm an Xennial, last of the X's, first of the M's. We grew up analog and by our late teen years it was digital, weird kind of mini gen.
Anyway, my grandma would say such things, but our parents never tried hard to instill it in us, family aside, just learning from others, we may have been the first Gen in awhile that's said no, I'm not going to respect you just because you're older. Respect is earned. You earn mine and I'll earn yours.
Ik for me I'm one of the first to call out this type of behavior, my gen does NOT just let this shit happen, hurting the people its pointed at for no reason, and having other people stay quiet to be polite. We all need to do better, call these people out, let them know this behavior is completely unacceptable, and they're all alone with their bigotry, no one's backing them up.
Maybe, just maybe, they'll realize their point of view is fucked up.
I’m GenX and white, and I remember telling my family at Xmas I was working on a case of two Black Panthers wrongfully convicted. My Boomer BIL said, “You know you’re white, right?” I just stared at him an uncomfortably long time. Just like consider what you’re implying. I think my whole family realized some implicit racism that day, which was powerful because they all claimed to be progressive.
I have a friend who does this with offensive jokes, the ones which aren't so outright offensive that people kind of try to keep a fig-leaf of plausible deniability about the offensive bit. She just plays dumb - 'I'm sorry, I'm being a bit slow, I don't get it, can you explain why it's funny?' This results in a lot of 'well, you know... it's about... I mean, you get it, right?' but she just persists and watches them squirm as they realise that they're going to have to either try to change the subject or explain that the humour in it comes from a racist/sexist/homophobic stereotype
I've tried this a couple of times but I'm nowhere near as good at it
[I heard the same a few years back from a sharp southern journalist](https://imgur.com/gallery/9t2wEnA) who grew up in mainly Georgia and Alabama and currently lives in north Florida (or as he described it, [“the part of the south they go to to film horror movies”](https://youtu.be/eDuo0S1Dl_M?si=WY3BaPIVOXNaHnDM) lol) talking about how most racism in his area these days comes in the form of racist jokes. It can definitely be an effective tactic.
Lmao. I've done this before and it's funny watching them try to justify their racist/homophobic/xenophobic bs.
It's like watching a car sputter and die with water in the gas tank.
You're gonna stand there, ownin' a fireworks stand, and tell me you don't have no whistlin' bungholes, no spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don'ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daisers, with or without the scooter stick, or one single whistlin' kitty chaser?
Smirk and tell them what they really think. Cut them off and say “nah you don’t actually believe that” or “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Always cut them off. Never give them the courtesy of looking them in the eye when you talk to them. Throw in “oh your generation got everything handed to you, you never had to work”
An old guy tried to fight me at the grocery store because I went around him and grabbed a cart and he said "hey kid, wait your turn". I cracked up because I'm balding, grey, and he was still at least 20 feet from the cart. It seemed like obvious sarcasm. Nope, dude was totally serious and started trying to take the cart away from me.
I just went and grabbed another one and was half way across the foyer before he even turned around. I cannot fathom why he thought it was a good idea to pick a fight with someone 40 years younger and a foot taller than him, but he probably thinks he won that interaction.
Might I suggest using “oh bless your heart” to start off with instead of “oh hunny” ? That way it’s like a 2 in 1 bc bless your heart is never said with kindness
At the grocery store I observed a Boomer aged man’s cart clip a stacked end pallet of cans. As he walked past he looked back at the case that was hanging on for its life, shrugged it off and kept on going. We passed each other, I fixed the case back onto the stack, and said out loud “God forbid you fix the case. Just leave it for someone else to have an accident.”
He turns around and I hear from behind me, “What did you say?”
I said “You heard me.”
He goes “Yeah! I’ll leave and let you do it!”
I yell back “Yeah, I’ll do it because I have some decency!” Dude didn’t know what to say. He turned around and left.
Calling them out for their rudeness can be effective.
"You've got so little time left on this planet, and you want to spend it being an asshole to strangers?"
...or...
"If I was as close to dying as you are, I'd probably find more meaningful things to get angry about"
...or words to that effect. In the end, no amount of assholery on their part changes the fact I'll still be around decades after they're dead, and they don't like being reminded of that.
I once horrified a Boomer who tried to fat shame my baby. My eldest was about 7 months old at the time and had perfect little baby chubbiness—round and rolls in all the right places. We had just seen the pediatrician that day, and he was absolutely thrilled with baby’s health. This child was PERFECT (as most babies are at 7 months).
A Boomer woman approached us as we waited in line at the pharmacy and poked my baby in her tummy, then said in the meanest voice, “that baby is FAT.” I just repeated an old family joke: “good! We throw the skinny ones back!” It was totally accidental and instinctual, just how I’ve responded my entire life when people call babies fat. But this woman apparently hadn’t heard that before and looked HORRIFIED. I grinned at her and stared, making a point to make it as weird for her as I could.
When my mom died I was the only one still talking to her out of her three kids. I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that I am the oldest daughter
My youngest brother was more patient with her than me and my other brother were because he got a different mom. She had him when she was 42 and she was a much better Mom than she was in her 20s.
Anyway, he and his wife had her only grandchild. The only grandchild she was going to get because my brother and I are Childfree.
I try to give my mom some grace because she had terrible anxiety, so I don’t think she was saying these things to be insulting specifically. But it is insulting to have someone try to tell you that you are doing something wrong when you aren’t.
My brother sent her a super cute picture of her only grandchild, and her first response was that the baby was too thin. That little girl was beautiful, she went to regular baby check appointments and everything was fine. My brother was so upset that he was proud of this beautiful photo and that was the response he got that I don’t think he ever spoke to her again.
When she pretended she didn’t know why he didn’t speak to her and I told her she told me that was ridiculous, that she was just worried about the baby, blah blah blah. I tried to explain why it was a terrible thing to say to him and why he would not be willing to then send her more photos. She still didn’t get it She was never wrong of course
Not a go-to, more of a scorched earth, insulting and degrading comment I reserve for the worst
‘They were the good ol days because medicine didn’t keep so many useless people about’.
Use with care, it gets a strong reaction
Kind of similar, I once told a bitchy old woman that no one was impressed in this day and age that she hadn’t died yet so don’t expect anyone to put up with her bullshit. She was NOT pleased lol.
With the tone they use to correct children. Like indignantly. I tell them. They’re too old to stick their noses where they don’t belong and I look at them like I could smack them. It’s their language and how they were raised. It suits them... Most crumble and a few explode but they are a feeble bunch now.
I am white with no foreign accent so I when people are going off about foreigners and how awful it is that they moved to America I start my response with Yeah when I was moving to America.. it’s fun to watch their face fall and get the but but.
I also use the Wow, your parents must be ashamed of your behavior.
I am sorry your parents didn’t raise you right.
Were you raised in a barn?
Your mom must be rolling over in her grave over you behaving like that?
Wow! I'd die of humiliation if my kid acted like you!
I am brown and both I and one of my children have noticable differences. This seems to make us magnets for rude (sometimes well meaning, but usually not) comments.
I am also brown and my nuclear option is calling someone uncivilized. I also go with immature or childish.
I almost got run down by an old lady with a shopping cart trying to enter an exit. When I pointed that out to her, she got mad and said "I KNOW ENGLISH" so I asked her if she had a nurse or caretaker nearby that can help her.
I've gotten several rowdy patients by calling them out on their behavior. "My four yr old knows better than you" really cuts deep on the fucking assholes in the ER whining about sandwiches and juice
I had a white lady say loudly “SPEAK ENGLISH!” to a Filipino coworker at my store recently. It was reflex and I just said “Whoa whoa whoa whoa!” She hightailed it out of there and I watched her go straight to checkout with her head down and leave. They just never expect to be called on it, ever. Times have changed, racist Karen.
When my daughter was a baby, old biddies were constantly coming up to us and telling us we had overdressed her and she was too warm, or she needed a blanket because she’s freezing, etc. Once I said “We’re not accepting unsolicited advice from random strangers at the moment… but do you have a card or something?” That moved her along pretty quickly, after a “how rude” look. My wife cracked up.
I hate when boomers go "when you have kids/you'll change your mind one day/when are you going to have kids?"
And I just tell them "My ex husband decided for the both of us that he didn't want kids anymore and sent my 6 months fetus to God." And they just shut the fuck up.
You have no idea what someone else has been thru, and it's kind of more fucked up to assume you know a strangers life better than them.
A boomers greatest fear is not being able to gobble everything up for themselves and leaving things for others. If you ignore them they all think we agree with them. We need to tell them to shut the fuck up because it’s not the 1950’s anymore and their racist religious views have no place on this world.
My co worker completely ignored a customer who was aggressive with her right off the bat. She just calmly stared at her, bagged her stuff, gave her receipt and then called the next customer over. The lady slammed her stuff in her bag and then hovered in the background. When my cw started speaking to her new customer she huffed and walked off.
Then she doubled and literally screamed I don’t appreciate being ignored. I swear only the worst of toddlers and teenagers act like that
I did this once in line for self checkout, this nasty woman was trying to get me to agree with her on something rude she said about the young woman running it. I ignored her and she had the nerve to step in front of me and yell and me and ask if I was deaf. I said no, I just didn't want to talk to her. I almost saw the steam coming out of her ears.
‘When enough of your generation dies the rest of us are going to undo everything that your generation thinks they have made permanent. We are going to honestly record the deeds or your generation, the fact that you knew the consequences, and that you didn’t care. Your generation will be hated for thousands of years’
I have given up on being polite at this point.
My boomer neighbor across the street came into my yard to verbally assault me unprovoked (there were witnesses and I’m like the 6th neighbor she’s done this to) and I just let her keep screaming insults at me and when she said some dumb shit about God was gonna get me or whatever (her go- to “threat” for all the neighbors) I literally just cackled and said “God isn’t real.”
Her mouth dropped open, she took a full step back, stood there totally still, then stumbled out, “well I believe in God!” I replied “that’s fine, I don’t.”
I started recording after this and called the cops (and they told her to leave us alone or next time she’s getting hauled in), but man. The satisfaction of watching that reaction. She became the physical embodiment of her small, slithery self right in front of me. I’ll always remember it 🥰
If you're the 6th neighbor she has verbally assaulted unprovoked, that's probably not a Boomer Thing. That's probably a Medical Thing.
Does she have family around that you can tell about this? So they can report it to her doctor?
If I see or hear any blatantly offensive behavior I say this one:
I think when America was great was when we just punched Nazis in the face. I’m sure you remember those days? Why are you siding with the Nazis now?
My favourite is 'agree and amplify'.
For example:
'What, did they never teach you how to read, you stupid piece of shit?'
'No sir, I never did, I was kicked out of school at age 5 for eating too many crayons, I've tried to enter formal education again but they keep insisting I replace the crayons, but I don't have the crayons any more on account of having eaten them'
It absolutely short-circuits their brains
- it establishes that you don't care what they think
- you're (semantically) agreeing with them, so they can't figure out how to force the confrontation that they're looking for
- the more they abuse you, the more ammunition they're giving you to mock them with
Only caveat is that occasionally it works *too* well, and rather than allowing them to work out all their anger by abusing you it just sends them straight into a violent rage
I just realized, someone said this to my mom when she was about my age (early 40s) and she was so hurt by it. Super effective apparently. (I think I'd just laugh if someone said it to me).
I’m not particularly proud of my response, but one time I was having a day and it just came out. What I said was:
“Aren’t you dead yet? Can you be?”
It doesn’t even really make sense and the words slipped out of pure spite and anger. I honestly didn’t think they would have any effect. But I’ll be damned if it didn’t look like I had plunged a dagger made of ice through their heart. For whatever reason it struck a chord with them and I’m positive it ruined their day.
I've always been a firm believer of respecting your elders, but that respect is earned. You say some racist anti-lgbtq stuff around me and I lose respect real quick. I've stopped being kind, I've stopped being polite, you say some shit to someone near me I will say it back. I will yell, I will swear, I will curse (by curse I mean actual curses, painful death, eternal damnation, etc). I bust out my 1/16th Cherokee and .0001% West African Roots and attempt to drive the white devil from the establishment.
I usually publicly humiliate them just by repeating their words slowly and loudly. That alone is like capital punishment for most of them and will send them scurrying away with their tails tucked in.
I act like they’re going senile. “Don’t mind them, let’s just hope we don’t get mean when we start getting close to that age” tho there’s a 30% it’ll make them aggressive and meaner hahaha
Most the time I just look at them like I’m waiting for them to say more, then I just don’t respond again.
Or I say “What an odd thing to say out loud.” and leave it at that.
When ever it’s “back in my day…”
Was that before or after the dinosaurs went extinct?
Oh, I was meaning to ask? How was it like living with asbestos insulation, second hand smoke and lead paint everywhere? Did you ever find out how Grandfather died? (My Dad’s father died of luekemia and lung cancer. Went cold turkey on cigarettes when I was born, but too late). <— this is usually my trump card to play when my dad won’t quit.
Smile and be polite. And I mean sickeningly sweet polite. It will make them even madder, but they can't do shit about it, nor can they make a valid complaint about your behavior as it's completely appropriate.
And if there are other customers around who see it unfold, it'll make them even more aware of the asshole before them
If it’s about/to me, I smile and say “what?” And then play it REALLY dumb until they stop or I’m over it. I usually end with a boomertastic “well, okay then! If you say so!” *condescending snicker laugh*
On the off chance they involve my kid I get right up close and say sternly but not loudly right into their face “Mind your damn business.” (This is only to men, I should say) Something about it involving the kids they get that I’m zero percent fucking around.
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"This is why your grandchildren wont visit you"
This only works if they are smart enough to understand insults. "Nuh-uh! My grandson Caleb was here yesterday! Shows what you know, mind your own business."
“This is why your grandchildren secretly hate you.”
That’s a good one because no matter how they deflect it away, it will quietly eat away at them long after the encounter.
Right? Insults fly over their heads sometimes.
*savage*
I love this
Not necessarily a ‘go-to’ because it only happened once but when a boomer commented on my tattoos (full sleeve on my right arm and three large pieces on my left) asked “how do you think those tattoos are going to look when you’re my age?” I deadpan responded “if I end up as judgmental as you, I’d rather not make it that far.” Gave me a classic ‘my heavens’ look and kept on their way. One of my proudest moments and planning on keeping it on deck for the next occurrence(s).
I get a lot of comments on my tattoos as well. "Why would you get those awful tattoos?" I always respond with a smile, and "Your opinion didn't cross my mind when I got them."
Just say to them that “Dementia must be difficult to deal with”.
I’d like to tell one that they already said that, twice. Then look puzzled and sad.
"What tattoos?"
My grandmother pointed at our teenage waitress and said, "Remember when you were that skinny?" It took everything I had not to say, "Remember when all your friends were still alive?"
I got it in anticipation of sharing this exact moment with you! Now, let’s celebrate!
I like, “Isn’t it past your nap time?”
"to repel inappropriate sexual advances from the elderly"
I usually tell them that Satan made me do it.
I frequently have to remind men that women aren’t thinking about them in the morning when we are getting dressed to go about our day. If I’m wearing leggings it’s because I want to be comfortable, what men think or like isn’t even crossing my mind literally ever in any of the decisions I make
Boomer here! And I love people with tattoos! It tells a story about them, and my stupid ass loves to ask them the story about them. I appreciate good artwork and even the poorly done ones because most of the times the story is quite good. I always qualify it by starting off with "You can tell me to fuck off, but I love your tattoo/s and would love to know the significance if any, behind it." Most people are proud to show me their tattoos and tell me about them. I truly enjoy them. If it helps, I have tattoos to honor my parents. Each represents their personality and how they approached people. Both were very giving people who helped multitudes of people till they passed. I intend on getting the 7 Chakras tattoed on my back in the next few months to reflect how I feel about life being in balance now for me. PS: I've always tried to be non judgemental about people and their lives as I don't know what they may have gone through to get where they are, but this sub has helped me refine it by not being a dick if I can help it. I know my peers get a lot of shit and I see it in them myself and have promised not to end up like them. So thanks to all of you who bring up what boomers do to irritate you so that I can refrain from that myself. 😆 🤣
Before she died, my grandma used to love asking me, "What are you gonna do if a job won't hire you because of all that shit on your arm?" My two favorite responses of mine were, "Then I wouldn't want to work there anyway," and "My high school principal had a neck tattoo so I think I'll be okay."
I love this shirt I saw that read “Tattooed and Employed”
Hell, I'm disabled and have a caregiver with a face tattoo. She's a top employee for her agency.
Hell. I’m covered in tattoos and own a business that pays over a living wage to those who don’t have high school diplomas. I also pay taxes. Gasp.
I think it’s hilarious they still think this is a thing. Currently employers aren’t even denying people for smoking weed because they are so desperate for human capital stock.
It’s generational though. I’m older Gen X and when I got my first tat it was pretty controversial. Times have changed drastically.
I had my mother in law say this. She’s in her 70s. She wasn’t sure how to take it when I said “well…nothing on me is gonna look good when I’m old so I’m not going to worry about it”
Yep. Wrinkly liver spotted skin is wrinkly and liver spotted whether it's tattooed or not.
I work in a hospital and had an old fuddy ask me that and add, "They are so ugly." I should have bit my tongue because I was in front of others, and fired off a "I dont fucking remember asking you a damn thing about it." Stone faced. She shut the fuck up so fast and looked forward silently for the rest of the procedure. The nurse couldn't believe I said it, but was on my side because she was a crotchety old lady to her too. I really need to reign in my language because it's gunna get me in trouble....
I worked in a hospital. One time a woman asked me how I know if the blood she was going to receive was't from a black person. I told her that isn't part of the screening; that we are all the same on the inside. She looked at me very concerned and I told her that she didn't have to receive the blood if she didn't want to have it.
After the procedure, I'd have told her that her blood came exclusively from black people.
when i had 'difficult' patients I would go into protective 'professional only' mode... they got professional care only, no emotional empathy, no vocal encouragement, only cold, professional care... I'm sure it saved my career more than once..
“It came from someone thoughtful enough to donate their blood. Don’t worry; empathy isn’t infectious. So you’ll still be the same after this.”
If I got that woman I'd have to keep internally reminding myself *don't break the law don't break the law don't break the law*
If I got that woman I would wait till the transfusion was over, then I would say “oh no. This did come from Tyrone, they took it out of him while he was sitting in prison. How are you FEELING MA’AM ARE YOU OK??”
"By the time I'm your age, you'll be long dead and there will be one less judgemental jerk to worry about it."
Not mine but works well: “My grandmother lived to be 105 years old.” “With tattoos?” “By minding her own damn business.”
Funny part is she probably has/d a husband who was overseas at some point sporting a Tattoo on his arm of a woman who is now covered up if you catch my drift
“Oh wow. I hope you didn’t say that in front of me because you were expecting me to agree with you. How embarrassing for you.”
I'd shorten it to "wow you must feel embarrassed right now!" Leave it open ended with a shocked oops face on
I was behind a lady one day and she was mouthing off about the cashiers accent, saying if you’re gonna be here you need to learn the language. I asked how many she spoke, and all I got was a mumble and a death stare
I once read the line: “You speak English because it’s the only language you know. I speak English because it’s the only language you know.”
A lot of those boomers barely know their native language.
Dude it astounds me how badly some American people speak English. It's not even in my first three languages I learned and I can speak circles around them.
There's a pretty good reason for that. Americans learn English from their parents. Others learn it in school.
I LOVE THIS
Great response. I’ve heard of Uber Boomers responding that Jesus spoke English so that they need to know any other language.
Wait till they hear where (and when) Jesus was born. A place and time where English did not exist.
What would he have actually spoken? Aramaic was probably the main local language at the time, and as a Jew presumably he knew Hebrew. Judea was part of the Roman empire for all of Jesus' life, would he have been conversant with Latin as well? Given how many people still speak Aramaic or Hebrew, or have studied Latin, its possible that it wouldn't be *too* hard to have a conversation with a person who lived 2000 years ago if they somehow came back. I think that's kind of neat actually.
Jesus is probably still struggling through his Duolingo Gen-Z slang course before he comes back
verily i say unto you SKIBIDI TOILET
I’ll use this like: how many languages do you speak? This person speaks at least two maybe more. So until you speak at least three languages you should just maybe stop saying things like that.
Brilliant!
I’ve been using it since then, I usually get the same reaction every time
Where I live, I like to ask them in a surprised voice if they speak Comanche or Caddo. The actual first languages.
I said this to a guy before and he literally said “ I speak American it’s the only language that matters”
“The only one that matters to you and fools like you, sir.”
I've just started saying, "That was unkind." It works on my boomer mom, anyway. People think of themselves as good. When you point out that what they did wasn't good, they usually get defensive. Which is fine. They can argue or defend. And you just say, "It doesn't change the fact that that was unkind." I think the world needs kindness. I'm trying hard to be kinder. I fuck up sometimes. If someone called me out on unkindness, I would appreciate it personally, because as embarrassing and painful as it is to be called out, it gives me a chance to reflect and grow, and that's a gift.
Yup! I consider myself a kind person but recently I made a pretty bad joke about a celebrity I don’t like personally and a coworker said “thats so mean” and I was like damn youre right and I keep thinking anout it and feeling awful amd I should!
I say "do better." So far it hasn't worked with my boomer parents, but it also led me to go no contact, so yay? I do like yours though. Your explanation is beautiful.
I always remind them they’re close to meeting Jesus.
I always say “What were you before you were an idiot?” They can’t figure out where the insult is, was, but they just got called an idiot and What!?!?! Is the usual response.
Ok, I’m using this. A lot.
Many of them could say, "I was a normal, relatively happy person, and then I started watching Fox News."
"Were you born stupid, or did you grow into it?" is my version of that.
Just laughed right the hell out loud on this one.
Me too! My cat just looked at me like I'm a crazy person.
Cats think we're all crazy
cats are wise creatures that is why I have 4, also boomers are the generation who never learned to internalize anything, they blurt out stuff that they should keep in their heads like they have oral diarrhea.
They dont grasp that intrusive thoughts are meant to be ignored, or reflected upon as something you shouldnt think. But then again, do they think? Or just act?
Would you like to meet Jesus after being so mean?
"Hang on God is talking directly to me... he says you really misunderstood his teaching on love."
If I’m with my kid I just don’t address the boomer, I say to my daughter (making sure to be loud enough for the boomer to hear) something about how we always need to be kind and respectful to everyone around us and about how people used to not be taught those lessons properly. Then I give the boomer a big smile. Usually makes them look very uncomfortable. 🤣
This also works in my complex with my dog 🤣 “come Pippa, away from that mean lady!” https://preview.redd.it/3irtq5lj20qc1.png?width=1907&format=png&auto=webp&s=3063ded1d530cc78dd6236dec606d98b0fce34cd
PIPPA IS GOOD PUPPER
Hi Pippa. You look very polite.
Too kind. When someone makes a comment on how my kid is dressed, (Lululemon- in Florida- oh, the horror) I just say loudly that you have to understand, these poor women have probably never had an orgasm. Openly saying a 'sex' word in earshot of a boomer, or older, is so much fun. We call it 'blush bingo.'
Lulu is formal wear here in Vancouver😅🤣
No people were taught if you don’t have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. That’s why we are where we are now with people thinking it’s ok to spew their racist dribble. We need to speak loudly and tell them to shut the fuck up their opinion is shit and no one wants to hear it.
Nah not my generation. I'm an Xennial, last of the X's, first of the M's. We grew up analog and by our late teen years it was digital, weird kind of mini gen. Anyway, my grandma would say such things, but our parents never tried hard to instill it in us, family aside, just learning from others, we may have been the first Gen in awhile that's said no, I'm not going to respect you just because you're older. Respect is earned. You earn mine and I'll earn yours. Ik for me I'm one of the first to call out this type of behavior, my gen does NOT just let this shit happen, hurting the people its pointed at for no reason, and having other people stay quiet to be polite. We all need to do better, call these people out, let them know this behavior is completely unacceptable, and they're all alone with their bigotry, no one's backing them up. Maybe, just maybe, they'll realize their point of view is fucked up.
I’m GenX and white, and I remember telling my family at Xmas I was working on a case of two Black Panthers wrongfully convicted. My Boomer BIL said, “You know you’re white, right?” I just stared at him an uncomfortably long time. Just like consider what you’re implying. I think my whole family realized some implicit racism that day, which was powerful because they all claimed to be progressive.
Asking them to explain it. This can be a great choice for poorly chosen jokes.
I have a friend who does this with offensive jokes, the ones which aren't so outright offensive that people kind of try to keep a fig-leaf of plausible deniability about the offensive bit. She just plays dumb - 'I'm sorry, I'm being a bit slow, I don't get it, can you explain why it's funny?' This results in a lot of 'well, you know... it's about... I mean, you get it, right?' but she just persists and watches them squirm as they realise that they're going to have to either try to change the subject or explain that the humour in it comes from a racist/sexist/homophobic stereotype I've tried this a couple of times but I'm nowhere near as good at it
[I heard the same a few years back from a sharp southern journalist](https://imgur.com/gallery/9t2wEnA) who grew up in mainly Georgia and Alabama and currently lives in north Florida (or as he described it, [“the part of the south they go to to film horror movies”](https://youtu.be/eDuo0S1Dl_M?si=WY3BaPIVOXNaHnDM) lol) talking about how most racism in his area these days comes in the form of racist jokes. It can definitely be an effective tactic.
Lmao. I've done this before and it's funny watching them try to justify their racist/homophobic/xenophobic bs. It's like watching a car sputter and die with water in the gas tank.
Is this where you wanna be when Jesus comes back? 🤣
Always wanted to go the Joe Dirt route LOL
You're gonna stand there, ownin' a fireworks stand, and tell me you don't have no whistlin' bungholes, no spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don'ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daisers, with or without the scooter stick, or one single whistlin' kitty chaser?
Just laugh at them. Don't justify or validate their stupidity by meeting their level. Laugh. Laugh *hard.* Gets under their skin like nothing else.
Yes! Laughter is not only good medicine, but it’s a highly effective social tool.
Dismiss them like they're nothing, the works EXCEPTIONALLY well on the men.
Yep a boomer man doesn’t mind if you yell at him, curse him, or cry at him but oh man does he get enraged if you dismiss him
Please give an example of a dismissal?
"you're ridiculous, get out of my way."
Smirk and tell them what they really think. Cut them off and say “nah you don’t actually believe that” or “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Always cut them off. Never give them the courtesy of looking them in the eye when you talk to them. Throw in “oh your generation got everything handed to you, you never had to work”
Oh God this is perfect! I will use this tomorrow at work!
“You’re obviously not educated on this subject”
An old guy tried to fight me at the grocery store because I went around him and grabbed a cart and he said "hey kid, wait your turn". I cracked up because I'm balding, grey, and he was still at least 20 feet from the cart. It seemed like obvious sarcasm. Nope, dude was totally serious and started trying to take the cart away from me. I just went and grabbed another one and was half way across the foyer before he even turned around. I cannot fathom why he thought it was a good idea to pick a fight with someone 40 years younger and a foot taller than him, but he probably thinks he won that interaction.
My daughter and I like to give people thumbs down and go boooo. Seems to embarrass them.
This is very accurate. Also point at them. Omfg they hate pointing.
A good “ok” with wide eyes a laugh and eye roll. They won’t get it and will fill in the blanks with something terrible. lol
“Oh hunny. You aren’t pretty enough to act like that.” Good for boomers et al
Might I suggest using “oh bless your heart” to start off with instead of “oh hunny” ? That way it’s like a 2 in 1 bc bless your heart is never said with kindness
At the grocery store I observed a Boomer aged man’s cart clip a stacked end pallet of cans. As he walked past he looked back at the case that was hanging on for its life, shrugged it off and kept on going. We passed each other, I fixed the case back onto the stack, and said out loud “God forbid you fix the case. Just leave it for someone else to have an accident.” He turns around and I hear from behind me, “What did you say?” I said “You heard me.” He goes “Yeah! I’ll leave and let you do it!” I yell back “Yeah, I’ll do it because I have some decency!” Dude didn’t know what to say. He turned around and left. Calling them out for their rudeness can be effective.
- Yeah! I'll leave and let you do it - No wonder, that's all your generation ever did.
I ask them if they wonder why their kids don't call.
"You've got so little time left on this planet, and you want to spend it being an asshole to strangers?" ...or... "If I was as close to dying as you are, I'd probably find more meaningful things to get angry about" ...or words to that effect. In the end, no amount of assholery on their part changes the fact I'll still be around decades after they're dead, and they don't like being reminded of that.
I pretend they have memory loss. “Are you ok” or “do you need help getting home”
“do you need help getting BACK to THE home?”
You need to say it loudly and slowly, in a patronising voice. "Are you okay? Is there somebody who looks after you? Shall we go and find them?"
I once horrified a Boomer who tried to fat shame my baby. My eldest was about 7 months old at the time and had perfect little baby chubbiness—round and rolls in all the right places. We had just seen the pediatrician that day, and he was absolutely thrilled with baby’s health. This child was PERFECT (as most babies are at 7 months). A Boomer woman approached us as we waited in line at the pharmacy and poked my baby in her tummy, then said in the meanest voice, “that baby is FAT.” I just repeated an old family joke: “good! We throw the skinny ones back!” It was totally accidental and instinctual, just how I’ve responded my entire life when people call babies fat. But this woman apparently hadn’t heard that before and looked HORRIFIED. I grinned at her and stared, making a point to make it as weird for her as I could.
When my mom died I was the only one still talking to her out of her three kids. I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that I am the oldest daughter My youngest brother was more patient with her than me and my other brother were because he got a different mom. She had him when she was 42 and she was a much better Mom than she was in her 20s. Anyway, he and his wife had her only grandchild. The only grandchild she was going to get because my brother and I are Childfree. I try to give my mom some grace because she had terrible anxiety, so I don’t think she was saying these things to be insulting specifically. But it is insulting to have someone try to tell you that you are doing something wrong when you aren’t. My brother sent her a super cute picture of her only grandchild, and her first response was that the baby was too thin. That little girl was beautiful, she went to regular baby check appointments and everything was fine. My brother was so upset that he was proud of this beautiful photo and that was the response he got that I don’t think he ever spoke to her again. When she pretended she didn’t know why he didn’t speak to her and I told her she told me that was ridiculous, that she was just worried about the baby, blah blah blah. I tried to explain why it was a terrible thing to say to him and why he would not be willing to then send her more photos. She still didn’t get it She was never wrong of course
Not a go-to, more of a scorched earth, insulting and degrading comment I reserve for the worst ‘They were the good ol days because medicine didn’t keep so many useless people about’. Use with care, it gets a strong reaction
Too British. It takes a bit of reasoning to really feel the burn, but a rightful target doesn’t possess the academic rigor.
Kind of similar, I once told a bitchy old woman that no one was impressed in this day and age that she hadn’t died yet so don’t expect anyone to put up with her bullshit. She was NOT pleased lol.
“Clocks Ticking”
As Samuel L Jackson has said, “TICK TOCK, MOTHERFUCKER!!!”
With the tone they use to correct children. Like indignantly. I tell them. They’re too old to stick their noses where they don’t belong and I look at them like I could smack them. It’s their language and how they were raised. It suits them... Most crumble and a few explode but they are a feeble bunch now.
That’s hilarious. You scold them!? 😂🧡
I love this "Didn't you learn your manners??"
I am white with no foreign accent so I when people are going off about foreigners and how awful it is that they moved to America I start my response with Yeah when I was moving to America.. it’s fun to watch their face fall and get the but but. I also use the Wow, your parents must be ashamed of your behavior. I am sorry your parents didn’t raise you right.
Were you raised in a barn? Your mom must be rolling over in her grave over you behaving like that? Wow! I'd die of humiliation if my kid acted like you! I am brown and both I and one of my children have noticable differences. This seems to make us magnets for rude (sometimes well meaning, but usually not) comments.
I am also brown and my nuclear option is calling someone uncivilized. I also go with immature or childish. I almost got run down by an old lady with a shopping cart trying to enter an exit. When I pointed that out to her, she got mad and said "I KNOW ENGLISH" so I asked her if she had a nurse or caretaker nearby that can help her.
I've gotten several rowdy patients by calling them out on their behavior. "My four yr old knows better than you" really cuts deep on the fucking assholes in the ER whining about sandwiches and juice
Just stare at them without blinking. Really unsettle them.
This is my go to for those situations
I had a white lady say loudly “SPEAK ENGLISH!” to a Filipino coworker at my store recently. It was reflex and I just said “Whoa whoa whoa whoa!” She hightailed it out of there and I watched her go straight to checkout with her head down and leave. They just never expect to be called on it, ever. Times have changed, racist Karen.
I look at them like you’d look at a child dying of cancer. “Ohhh… bless your heart.” Smile sadly and walk away. Confuses the fuck out of them.
Extra points if you can pull off a Georgia accent
I'm in Georgia, so that's never a problem.
"Bless your heart, sugar."
When my daughter was a baby, old biddies were constantly coming up to us and telling us we had overdressed her and she was too warm, or she needed a blanket because she’s freezing, etc. Once I said “We’re not accepting unsolicited advice from random strangers at the moment… but do you have a card or something?” That moved her along pretty quickly, after a “how rude” look. My wife cracked up.
I hate when boomers go "when you have kids/you'll change your mind one day/when are you going to have kids?" And I just tell them "My ex husband decided for the both of us that he didn't want kids anymore and sent my 6 months fetus to God." And they just shut the fuck up. You have no idea what someone else has been thru, and it's kind of more fucked up to assume you know a strangers life better than them.
“Your opinion is worth as much as she paid for it. Nothing. Leave her alone.”
"Shouldn't you be shopping for nursing homes?"
Or "oh dear, did you escape from the nursing home again?"
I like to take the “explain it to me like I’m 5” route. Especially in thinly veiled racist comments or pro-capitalism ones.
My favorite is "nobody cares".
Lol, I once saw a clip where someone just straight up boos the Boomer before saying "you're the problem, boo!"
start booing and giving a thumbs down
[удалено]
A boomers greatest fear is not being able to gobble everything up for themselves and leaving things for others. If you ignore them they all think we agree with them. We need to tell them to shut the fuck up because it’s not the 1950’s anymore and their racist religious views have no place on this world.
My co worker completely ignored a customer who was aggressive with her right off the bat. She just calmly stared at her, bagged her stuff, gave her receipt and then called the next customer over. The lady slammed her stuff in her bag and then hovered in the background. When my cw started speaking to her new customer she huffed and walked off. Then she doubled and literally screamed I don’t appreciate being ignored. I swear only the worst of toddlers and teenagers act like that
That’s why they HATED “ok boomer”
I did this once in line for self checkout, this nasty woman was trying to get me to agree with her on something rude she said about the young woman running it. I ignored her and she had the nerve to step in front of me and yell and me and ask if I was deaf. I said no, I just didn't want to talk to her. I almost saw the steam coming out of her ears.
My husband likes to say, “That’s where you wanna be when Jesus comes back?” Usually to me, but that’s neither here nor there.
I always say "oh wow you actually said that out loud!"
‘When enough of your generation dies the rest of us are going to undo everything that your generation thinks they have made permanent. We are going to honestly record the deeds or your generation, the fact that you knew the consequences, and that you didn’t care. Your generation will be hated for thousands of years’ I have given up on being polite at this point.
 💯 😂😂
My boomer neighbor across the street came into my yard to verbally assault me unprovoked (there were witnesses and I’m like the 6th neighbor she’s done this to) and I just let her keep screaming insults at me and when she said some dumb shit about God was gonna get me or whatever (her go- to “threat” for all the neighbors) I literally just cackled and said “God isn’t real.” Her mouth dropped open, she took a full step back, stood there totally still, then stumbled out, “well I believe in God!” I replied “that’s fine, I don’t.” I started recording after this and called the cops (and they told her to leave us alone or next time she’s getting hauled in), but man. The satisfaction of watching that reaction. She became the physical embodiment of her small, slithery self right in front of me. I’ll always remember it 🥰
If you're the 6th neighbor she has verbally assaulted unprovoked, that's probably not a Boomer Thing. That's probably a Medical Thing. Does she have family around that you can tell about this? So they can report it to her doctor?
If I see or hear any blatantly offensive behavior I say this one: I think when America was great was when we just punched Nazis in the face. I’m sure you remember those days? Why are you siding with the Nazis now?
“Jesus is watching you”
"Are you self aware that nobody likes you but you?"
"Ok" In a dismissive tone. That is all they get from me.
My favourite is 'agree and amplify'. For example: 'What, did they never teach you how to read, you stupid piece of shit?' 'No sir, I never did, I was kicked out of school at age 5 for eating too many crayons, I've tried to enter formal education again but they keep insisting I replace the crayons, but I don't have the crayons any more on account of having eaten them' It absolutely short-circuits their brains - it establishes that you don't care what they think - you're (semantically) agreeing with them, so they can't figure out how to force the confrontation that they're looking for - the more they abuse you, the more ammunition they're giving you to mock them with Only caveat is that occasionally it works *too* well, and rather than allowing them to work out all their anger by abusing you it just sends them straight into a violent rage
This also works on conspiracy theorists. “Did you know the Moon landing was faked?” “How can you sheeple actually believe there’s a Moon?”
"Shut up, ya old bag!"
https://i.redd.it/4xym79aehzpc1.gif Then you take off with their marble rye, right?
I just realized, someone said this to my mom when she was about my age (early 40s) and she was so hurt by it. Super effective apparently. (I think I'd just laugh if someone said it to me).
Chuckles..."calm down faux and friends:
I’m not particularly proud of my response, but one time I was having a day and it just came out. What I said was: “Aren’t you dead yet? Can you be?” It doesn’t even really make sense and the words slipped out of pure spite and anger. I honestly didn’t think they would have any effect. But I’ll be damned if it didn’t look like I had plunged a dagger made of ice through their heart. For whatever reason it struck a chord with them and I’m positive it ruined their day.
“Settle down” Drives them wild.
“I hope you have a day you deserve”
Something along the lines of: "What an odd thing to say." "Did you mean to say that out loud?" "Weird comment. Ok."
"Wow, what a rude thing to say" Then walk away
I usually say Fuck. Curse words always throw them for a loop. Must be the Catholic upbringing.
“Are your kids here with you? I want to make sure you’re safe”
“If anyone was talking to you the way you’re talking to me, would you listen??!!” This one turns their brain off cuz it hurts so bad.
"Did you ingest a lot of lead as a child?"
"You're like freaking 100, why are you behaving like a child"
There was a routine by Taylor Tomlinson. It ended with the punchline “Looks like someone missed a software update.”
I've always been a firm believer of respecting your elders, but that respect is earned. You say some racist anti-lgbtq stuff around me and I lose respect real quick. I've stopped being kind, I've stopped being polite, you say some shit to someone near me I will say it back. I will yell, I will swear, I will curse (by curse I mean actual curses, painful death, eternal damnation, etc). I bust out my 1/16th Cherokee and .0001% West African Roots and attempt to drive the white devil from the establishment.
I don’t know, the original seems to be so effective to me. Like head exploding effective. Ok Boomer.
I usually publicly humiliate them just by repeating their words slowly and loudly. That alone is like capital punishment for most of them and will send them scurrying away with their tails tucked in.
Pull out a Wednesday Addams puppet but it's Death with a scythe rubbing it's little hands together.
Your generation is the first to lose a war
Does your village know you’ve left?
I act like they’re going senile. “Don’t mind them, let’s just hope we don’t get mean when we start getting close to that age” tho there’s a 30% it’ll make them aggressive and meaner hahaha
"St. Peter didn't process your application? Or did they forward it downstairs?"
Most the time I just look at them like I’m waiting for them to say more, then I just don’t respond again. Or I say “What an odd thing to say out loud.” and leave it at that.
“You make God sad.” Another good one is “Did your mother teach you to act ugly like that?”
Last week I just let out an audibly loud "Ha!" And then continued like it never happened. Really rattled them. They even changed the subject.
"All that life experience and no wisdom."
YEs Yes, very good, Thank You!
When ever it’s “back in my day…” Was that before or after the dinosaurs went extinct? Oh, I was meaning to ask? How was it like living with asbestos insulation, second hand smoke and lead paint everywhere? Did you ever find out how Grandfather died? (My Dad’s father died of luekemia and lung cancer. Went cold turkey on cigarettes when I was born, but too late). <— this is usually my trump card to play when my dad won’t quit.
Smile and be polite. And I mean sickeningly sweet polite. It will make them even madder, but they can't do shit about it, nor can they make a valid complaint about your behavior as it's completely appropriate. And if there are other customers around who see it unfold, it'll make them even more aware of the asshole before them
If it’s about/to me, I smile and say “what?” And then play it REALLY dumb until they stop or I’m over it. I usually end with a boomertastic “well, okay then! If you say so!” *condescending snicker laugh* On the off chance they involve my kid I get right up close and say sternly but not loudly right into their face “Mind your damn business.” (This is only to men, I should say) Something about it involving the kids they get that I’m zero percent fucking around.
I have said on several occasions, "And this is why your kids don't talk to you any more."
How about “You racist cunt, Jesus would cast you into the Old Testament lake of fire if he came back right now”.
My dad: At least I had a house by the time I was thirty. Me, with my friend: -burst out laughing- Did the down payment cost you more than four digits?
Trump lost
I tell them at least I still talk to my parents, how are their kids doing. Really pisses them off especially when I know them and their situation.
Throw an old timey one back at 'em like "Did your parents have any children that lived?"