It’s been said that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but what about old humans? Some older folks end up getting deeply set in their ways, clinging onto the “good old days” that worked for them, but not really for everyone else.
One woman turned to an online community to share her epic clapback against an old man in a thrift store who was enthusiastically slamming younger generations for being both “stupid” and “unpatriotic”. Here’s how it all went down.
More info: Reddit
It’s normal for some old folks to look at the past though rose-tinted glasses, but it can also be somewhat problematic
Image credits: Rick Obst / Flickr (not the actual photo)
One woman and her husband were hunting for gems in their local thrift store when things suddenly went sideways
Image credits: Shari Sirotnak / Freepik (not the actual photo)
An elderly couple were at the checkout ahead of them when the older man launched into a tirade about younger generations for being both stupid and unpatriotic
Image credits: RIDVAN AKGÜN / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Then he turned his attention to the woman, rudely asking her how old she was, hoping to humiliate her
Image credits: RekitRakkit
Needless to say, the old man was left shifting through all the shades of red, and probably reconsidering picking on younger generations in future
The original poster (OP) says she and her husband happily spend their free time thrift shopping, basically treating Goodwill runs like dates. While waiting in line on the Fourth of July, she overheard a cashier and an older couple bonding over an American flag shirt, when the conversation quickly slid into complaints about younger generations.
The elderly man mocked a younger person for not knowing what 1776 meant, launching into a rant about lazy, unpatriotic kids ruining America. When he noticed OP behind him, he put her on the spot, asking if she knew the meaning of the number, clearly expecting to prove his point and shame a perfect stranger.
OP calmly answered (correctly) but the old man wasn’t done. He demanded her age, assuming she was young and ignorant. Instead, she smiled sweetly and revealed she was 35. Then she flipped the script by asking whether his generation had skipped lessons on basic manners, leaving him red-faced and gasping like a fish out of water.
The old man’s wife quickly dragged him away as another cashier rushed OP through checkout, the tension in the store thick enough to cut with a knife. OP says she hopes the encounter will make the moaning old man think twice about generational bashing in future but added that she doubts an old dog could learn new tricks.
Image credits: iMin Technology / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
To be honest, when it comes to Millennials and Baby Boomers, the hate flows both ways. Each is convinced that the other is to blame for the decline of society and responsible for the messy state of the country. So, what’s the deal with that anyway? We went looking for answers.
According to the National Library of Medicine, intergenerational conflict is a hot topic in the United States, and the biggest scraps are between Millennials and Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers gripe that Millennials threaten traditional American values, while Millennials moan that Baby Boomers are taking too long to hand over the reins of power.
Time reports that a Pew Research Centre survey looked at data from 3,147 adults and assessed how the nation’s generations judged their own, as well as other, generations. While 79% of Boomers were proud of the label, it runs out that Millennials aren’t at all keen on their generational name and all the baggage it comes with.
“Millennials are significantly more critical of their generation than older age cohorts are of theirs,” the report notes. However, Millennials are environmentally and socially conscious, something Boomers don’t exactly have the best reputation for, we think you might agree.
What’s your take? Is slamming an entire generation ever justified? Who’s more right in the Boomers versus Millennials battle? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
In the comments, readers heartily congratulated the woman for her quick thinking and witty comeback, adding that people like the old man are pretty much unbearable
