Ok Boomer, Let’s Talk by Jill Filipovic

Book Review - with a special guest

DOUBLE REVIEW TIME!⁣
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⁣First off, thank you to Atria Books for this gifted copy of Ok Boomer, Let’s Talk. Given the content of the book, I figured it would be interesting to share both the millennial and the boomer perspective. SO I have a special guest reviewer providing the second review…my Dad 😺.⁣
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⁣HANNAH REVIEW: As a millennial, this book made me feel seen and understood. I thought the author did a wonderful job of characterizing millennials and capturing the issues that matter most to us as a generation. At times, reading her descriptions of millennials made me feel like I was reading the results of a personality test. Throughout the book she touches on a number of different topics - including money, health, housing, jobs, climate and more - and explains how these various institutions have essentially set millennials (and GenZ) up for failure. ⁣
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⁣While we all love our boomer parents (not my boomer!), their generation is largely to blame for the broken systems we now find ourselves navigating. Climate change is scorching the earth - making many millennials (myself included) skeptical about having children given the uncertain future of our planet. The rising cost of higher education and housing has led to the widening of the wealth gap and made homeownership increasingly difficult for young people (side note… did you know that if you declare bankruptcy your student loans do NOT go away??). Furthermore, the exorbitant cost of healthcare has forced many millennials to adopt a “just don’t get sick” mentality. For all the challenges millennials face, these challenges are even more pronounced for millennials of color. ⁣
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⁣I loved the fact that the book included a combination of facts/statistics, study results and anecdotal experiences from fellow millennials. I also liked the author’s short and succinct explanations of complex issues, like how systemic racism plays into essentially every aspect of American life. ⁣
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⁣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⁣
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GERRY REVIEW: I didn't like the book. Then again, I am a Boomer and who wants to be reminded of what a lousy job we have done on solving issues we inherited (systemic racism, urban housing crisis, gender and race income inequality) or those that gathered momentum under our watch (climate change, high cost of education and health care,) that we did too little to improve.

Most of us Boomers are affected by high health and living costs, climate change, and, for Black Boomers, systemic racism just as Millennials are. Much of what the author decries as the failings of Boomers I ascribed to politics (from the Reagan administration through the travesty of the Trump administration) not generational characteristics.

I also have three Millennial daughters who are smart, independent, hard working, socially aware young people who I just don't associate with the disparagement of Millennials (by boomers) that the author claims (not my Millennials!!).

The author shares a great many interesting statistics, which, if you haven't heard them before, are useful to know. But so much of what is covered (systemic racism, gender, race and age wage inequality, high health and housing cost, climate change) is well chronicled these days by other journalists and writers independent of the Millennials’ dilemma.

But, I did take away two positives from the book. I am now having generation discussions with my daughters (and any Millennial that is willing to talk about it), which is a positive step in deepening our relationship as adults. The second major positive I came away with is that Millennials and Gen Z now comprise the largest voting age cohort in the US. With Gen X they make up over 60% of the voting age population. So, they can decide who runs our government, who leads our major corporations and who makes the decisions on how this country is managed. All you have to do is vote. Run for office, support fellow Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z candidates who run for office and vote. Please. I beg you. The future of our planet depends on it.

⁣⭐️⭐️⭐️/5⁣

Hannah Gabel and Gerry Gabel (dad) at Austin City Limits music festival 2018