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Comedian Jason Salmon explains the one joke Boomers and Millennials can laugh at together

"I think the key to understanding a generation is you've gotta understand the world they grew up in."

Canva,

A boomer, comedian Jason Salmon, and a millennial.

It's no secret that comedian Jason Salmon is an expert on generational differences. His stand-up is riddled with insightful jokes that perfectly encapsulate how many of us are, in part, a product of the times we grew up in.

He's a proud (fellow) Gen X-er and feels lucky to have been born to that generation. In his stand-up special Biscuits and Gravy, he discusses the many ways that Gen X is super special.

"It's easy to spot that we're a lucky generation, because we're sandwiched between the two most dynamically angry generations currently alive. Boomers and millennials hate each other. I hear it all the time! 'You're an idiot.' 'No, you're an idiot!' I'm like, 'Hey, you're both right.'"

 

But the truth is, he gives a graceful pass to all generations. "I think the key to understanding a generation is you've gotta understand the world they grew up in."

He admits that timing is everything. "Gen X was in that sweet spot in American history. After the Boomers had taught us to 'just say no' but before millennials taught us that 'no MEANT no.' But we were having a good time, we were!"

Upworthy spoke to Salmon who talks about how Gen X can help bridge generation gaps. "I think Gen X is uniquely positioned to help bridge divides, because we have one foot in the old school world of institutions and collective consciousness and one foot in the new age of social media and individualism."

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

In his comedy special, he also jokes that it's his calling to help generations understand each other. For example, "Boomers experienced Spider-Man only as a comic book and millennials think that his superpower is that every time he takes off his mask he's a different actor. That's too big of a chasm, so I feel like it's my job to translate between the generations."

He also gives a profoundly existential reason for that "chasm" between the two generations, using how they grew up getting directions as another example. "Millennials grew up with GPS. Every time they went on a journey, sitting next to them was this robot navigation butler, just whispering precise step-by-step instructions in the soothing voice of their choosing. And then when they look at the map, it's telling them they're the center of the universe. No matter how far they go or which direction they're headed, they're just this bright blue orb of hope that the entire world just arranges itself around. That's gotta mess with your sense of self."

Boomers, he claims, had quite the opposite experience. "Of course it's gonna irritate boomers because every time they went on a trip, the thing giving them directions was a disappointed spouse or parent. And NOT in the voice of their choosing, but in the voice they hated the most in the whole world."

 maps, baby boomers, confusion, generations, gif Confused person looks at a map.   Giphy GIF by Lidl Voyages 

He points out how many of them were anything but universe-centered. When Boomers went on trips, "they had to start preparing the night before by unfolding a map sometimes the size of their house. And the first thing they had to do was figure out where they were on the map. Think about that! If every time you went on a trip, your first step was to find yourself? Do you realize the level of existential stability that requires?"

When we asked Salmon what his favorite part of being a Gen X-er is, he answered unequivocally: "We were the only generation not tied to a phone. Boomers had to stay home or miss a call. Younger generations depend on their phones for everything." But Gen X "had answering machines—like a babysitter for our phone. We'd go out for the night and leave our phone at home. When we came home, we'd know if something happened because a red light would be flashing on the answering machine. Then we'd press the button and get the lowdown on what happened while we were out."

At the end of the day, he believes that people are responding so positively to generational humor, because "most people are dealing with similar things in different incarnations." He adds, "For me, Gen X comedy helps to parallel those generational similarities because the two most dynamically different generations—and the biggest—are millennials and baby boomers. One just dipped a toe in the analog world and the other did the same in the digital world."

 Gen X, Mario Brothers, 1980s, 1990s, generations Mario and Luigi stand with their arms crossed.  Giphy, GIF by Bombay Softwares 

A commenter under his YouTube clip backs this up. "Gen X was the first generation to become familiar with the VERY rapid development of technology, and grew up knowing they had to keep up… We can set up a VPN, beat Super Mario Brothers in one life, fix a roof and toilet, and were there when Tool and Rage Against the Machine were brand new (not just being 'rediscovered'). Fear us—we're bulletproof."

Boomers weren't wrong about everything.

Baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) notoriously take heat from younger generations who think that their me-first mentality helped create a world where the climate is getting warmer, the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and people born in the ‘40s and ‘50s still rule the modern workplace.

Boomers are also often super frustrating because many can’t figure out modern technology, and the younger folks have to explain it until they are blue in the face.

Of course, these are all generational stereotypes that many baby boomers would reject. But regardless, they would probably stand up and cheer if they read a list of tweets inspired by X user @FvreignLL, who asked, “What is the most boomer complaint you have?” The since-deleted post was embraced by younger people and received over 123 million views.

Even though boomers are frequently in the hot seat these days, just about everyone can agree that they’re right about many things that get under younger people’s skin, too. One of the recurring themes of the post was that people can’t stand the fact that we are overly dependent on technology, and often, instead of making things more accessible, it makes them more frustrating.

Here are 15 of the best ‘boomer complaints’ that younger people have, too.

People had a lot of thoughts on the state of tipping culture.

 


They also can’t stand the idea that technology has complicated things unnecessarily.


 


 

On that note, technology has also made people super annoying. What's the point in paying upwards of $23 for a movie and scrolling through your phone in the theater the whole time?

 

People also noted that with a lack of third spaces, we now have a world that isn’t exactly kid-friendly

 

Also—what happened to adult clothes?

 


Whatever happened to paying for something once and then owning it? Or being able to own physical media so that you don’t have to pay every time you watch your favorite movie?

 


 

Moving on to food complaints, when did we all decide that almost every chip has to be kettle-cooked and made for people with cobalt teeth? Enjoying a snack shouldn't result in a $5,000 dental bill.

 

Remember when coffee was a quarter? Boomers do. These days, it's common to spend $6 or $7 PLUS on a cup of Joe.

 

Essentially, now everyone past 30 understands the issue of folks standing on their finely manicured lawn.

 


We might label boomers as the cranky generation, but eventually, Gen Xers, millennials and, yes, even Gen Zers will be right behind them, complaining about "kids these days" and why things were so much better "in my day." Tis the circle of life. One the bright side though, they'll at least be better at using technology.

This article originally appeared last year.

Popular

Real estate agent asks his Gen Z employee to edit a work video and the result is pure comedy

"This 100% caught my attention far more than whatever you were going to say."

@pridemoreproperties/Instagram

“Gen Z in the workforce is my favorite thing about life."

Gotta hand it to Gen Z—their tech savviness and sarcastic humor is a potent combination for comedy. Add to that a blatant disregard for workplace decorum, and you’ve got a recipe for some grade A viral entertainment. Mike Hege, a realtor at Pridemore Properties in North Carolina, recently learned this after asking the company's 27-year-old video marketing manager to make a video for his Instagram and TikTok pages.

The employee did as asked, but took on some, shall we say…creative touches that Hege certainly didn’t expect. As the phrase “Asked my Gen Z employee to edit a video for me, and this is what I got!” appears on screen, viewers witness a compilation video made entirely of Hege taking various inhales, presumably before going into whatever spiel he had intended to be recorded.


Essentially, this employee showcased the infamous “millennial pause” in action. Over and over again. She even threw in some awkward hair zhuzhing for good measure.

Watch:

Clearly this employee was onto something, because the video has already racked up a little over 4 million likes on Instagram. Several viewers suggested a raise was called for.

“Give her a raise because this 100% caught my attention far more then whatever you were going to say,” one person wrote.

Another added, ““Her audacity is so respectable tho.”

Of course, just type in “Letting Gen Z Edit My Videos” on TikTok, and you’ll see that Hege isn’t the only one giving his videos the Gen Z treatment.

Check out this one from the Goodwill of North Georgia. Poor fella giving the presentation made the mistake of saying “it’s okay, he’ll edit that out” after making a flub. It was, of course, not edited out.

 
 @goodwill_ng 

We've definitely got things😊

 ♬ original sound - Goodwill of North Georgia 
 
 

“Gen Z is so unserious I love us,” one person commented.

There’s also this delightfully quirky one from the Poe Museum, home of “a wide variety of chairs”…where you’ll learn that “you can never have too many flat Edgars.”

 
 @poemuseum We’ve got chairs at the Poe Museum! #edgarallanpoe #Richmond #poe #PoeMuseum ♬ original sound - The Poe Museum 
 
 

“Gen Z in the workforce is my favorite thing about life,” a viewer wrote.

As for Hege and his employee, he told TODAY that his company wanted their social media presence to reflect “authenticity” and “humanity,” and that the Gen Z employee completely succeeded in her task.

“This was the editor’s way of showcasing that we’re real people and that we can have fun and be on the lighter side,” he said, adding that she’s been “crushing it” since her employment began in February. So maybe that raise isn’t so far off after all.


This article originally appeared last year.

Internet

Millennials bond over these 16 'old people hills' they'd gladly die on

Long live skinny jeans, laptops for big purchases and using your blinker!

Maybe we're getting old, but that doesn't mean we're wrong.

There comes a point in every adult’s life when suddenly everything younger generations are doing seems baffling, if not downright annoying. You’re convinced that the ways things were done back in your day were better, and, of course, you’re gonna complain a bit.

And that’s when the harsher reality sets in—you’re old.

But don’t fret. After all, getting older is a gift not given to everyone. Plus, you won’t be alone in your grumblings. Especially when we’ve got the internet.

Recently, someone by the username @Thel200ster recently asked millennials on Reddit to name their “old person hill” they’d gladly die on.

The OP started with text message “reactions,” which have apparently ”gotten so out of hand.”


They continued, “Younger people I text seem to think you have to attach a reaction to every text message, be it a haha, a heart, a thumbs up, a !!, or what have you. It’s gotten to the point that I’m worried about people thinking I’m rude for not using them.

But they suck. My ‘reaction’ to your text message is my reply. It feels so reductive and Orwellian and I hate how limiting and canned these responses are. Back in my day we used words to communicate our feelings!”

Is this resonating just a bit? Congrats, you’re old! And there’s even more “old people hills” to die on where that came from.

Here are some of our faves:

1.“No, you cannot listen to music / videos / calls / whatever in public without headphones.” -u/Yman_j

u/ZelnormWow added:

“I so get why boomers hated GenX and their boom boxes now. Our lord and savior Sony Walkman did not come to earth and give his life so I have to listen to you watch the same 45 second TikTok on loop for 15 minutes.”




2. “Social media was better when it only showed you relevant content from friends/followed pages, and allowed you to sort by most recent so your longest scrolling session would last 10-20 minutes.” -u/ Zonda1996

3. “New car headlights are too damn bright” -u/pnwerewolf

“My astigmatisms agree!!!” quipped u/Tiny_Independence761

On the subject of cars…

4. A car’s turn signal should ALWAYS be used to signal a turn. Yes, I’m talking about you Steve when you say ‘well I don’t see anyone around’ YOU DON’T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, STEVE.” -u/falconwolverine

5. “STOP SPEEDING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUT YOUR DAMN PHONE DOWN!” -u/Typical80sKid



6. “I hate downloading an ap for every frickin’ thing. I ain’t clogging up my phone just for 1 baseball game ticket. Email to me a PDF of my ticket yo.” -u/beekaybeegirl

u/BrokenLink100 added:

“I went to a restaurant once where they had the QR codes for menus. That doesn’t bother me as long as the online menu has been properly formatted for mobile devices. But this QR code took you to the Apple Store to download the restaurant’s app just so you could view the menu. I asked for a physical menu, and the waitress said “oh our menu is on our app!” Like it was a totally acceptable thing. We ended up going someplace else anyway.”

7. “Not everything needs to be recorded/photographed and posted online. Whether it’s for good, taking excessive vacation pictures or for bad, like recording arguments between strangers.” -u/Li-IonClub

“Your lips to God’s ears. I also feel passionately about this one. People need to come to grips with the fact that driving is BY FAR the most dangerous thing people do on a regular basis,” the OP commented.

8. “If I say something to you, I'd like an acknowledgement that you heard me.” -u/pie_12th



9. “Manners. Manners go a long way. Having and using manners make you feel good. It is about respecting other humans beings and showing them that you do. It feels good to be polite, respectful, and generous. Manners are not disingenuous. They help others feel welcome, comfortable, appreciated, and at ease. Always use ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ hold doors open for people. Acknowledge others, be considerate of other people. Wish others well. Don’t be afraid to smile first. Think of how your actions impact others. Think of the next person. Be kind. Help others feel appreciated for sharing this existence with you.” -u/Jocelyn_Jade

10. “I am not instantly available at any waking moment just because it is technically possible for me to see your message immediately on my electronic device. If we didn't have prior plans to be in contact, please allow 24-48 hours for response to all non-emergency communications.” -u/KuriousKhemicals

11. “I hate dealing with touchscreen keyboards. I don't think I'll ever be able to type on them nearly as fast as I can on a physical keyboard.” -u/lahdetaan_tutkimaan

Speaking of tech…

12. “Important stuff is reserved for laptops and computers. Booking a flight, studying for an exam, etc.” -u/ThatEmoNumbersNerd

13. “We do not need to follow every single trend we see on the internet.Just because it's a trend does not mean you must do it.No, you DON'T need the new expensive super big gulp metal cup that comes in an array of colors.No, you DON'T need to buy a bunch of clear plastic/glass containers to restock your fridge/pantry when food ALREADY comes in containers.No, you DON'T need make your home look like it came from a magazine or sad beige channel.No, you DON'T need a 100 step skincare routine.No, you DON'T need to get filler just because your face is maturing out of teen hood.Trends come and go, and thanks to our ever shortening attention spans, they go almost as soon as they come.Pretty soon, people will regret spending all their time and money on those trends and then move on to the next big trend that will leave them equally, if not more, unfulfilled.Just be happy with what you have.” -u/Spookybeagle

With similar gusto, u/Archeressrabbit wrote:

"Kiddo, you can't change your style every two weeks and attach core to a random buzzword. You need to look into your soul, your lifestyle, your likes and dislikes, and make boundaries about what goes on your body. I hate to go back in my day, but back in my day when we were goth, we only had the power of our imaginations and our DIY skills to create a look. We ripped fishnets, shredded jeans, raided Halloween stores army surplus and thrift stores, learned to sew, forgot to hem, held our clothes together with safety pins and hot glue, used white out on our combat boots, made our jewelry, used copious amounts of eyeliner and dyed our hair with kool-aid and splat. We made our styles ourselves. If we did buy something, we either had to save up for docs and Tripp pants, and God forbid you were Lolita because those dresses started at 500 dollars in those days."

Of course, millennial folks felt differently about their own clothing trends. -u/Notaninterestingcat declared “My black leggings will have to be pulled from my cold dead hands.”



14. “Tips should be for sit down meals in restaurants only. I should not be asked to tip at random places like a clothing store or when I get my oil changed.” -u/New_Ad_7170

15. “Kids need to stop ‘diagnosing’ themselves with all sorts of mental health conditions…There is a reason why we have diagnostic criteria…So many kids I meet are self-diagnosing based on a 30-second TikTok they saw. Many 20-somethings I know are doing it as well.On a related note, the overuse and misuse of ‘therapy language’ also needs to stop…Like, come on.” - u/dribdrib

Lastly, but perhaps most important of all…

16. “The way that Gen Z makes hearts with their hands makes me deeply unsettled.” -u/TheRainbowConnection