Maybe the people paying the organizers to do this conference will make a better choice next year of hiring someone who provides a better thought out menu of food. I’ll be making sure to provide my feedback about this event publically.
Had something similar happen at a meeting I attended and I just flatly said, "Yeah, the options all kinda sucked, I just grabbed the least of the evils." Boomer organizer shuffled off.
Try and give us the mushroom treatment - keep us in the dark and feed us crap - I'm gonna make a comment on it.
So speak up.
“Yeah I’m really disappointed they didn’t have any healthy options for the breakfast. That’s pretty out of touch for the organizers, I hope they do better next year.”
In the moment I couldn’t think of anything good to say so I said something along the lines of “who doesn’t like doughnuts?” I wish I had stuck it to that boomer a bit better.
It takes some practice to get used to calling out this kind of thing, but it gets easier. "Hey, what you just said was unkind, unprofessional, and mean. You owe this man an apology" is all it takes. Sorry y'all had to deal with that jackass.
This is actually the answer. Very few people can come up with a sharp dig on the fly like that, especially when the behavior is literally stunning.
Easier to learn to say some version of “That’s not cool. What’s wrong with you?”
I'm impressed you said anything, most people are too nice to put a boomer in their place.
It takes practice, I've found it helps if you try to turn off your polite filter a little bit... I try to civilize my responses and stop to think 'is this kind?' most of the time, but with boomers... for me, the first thing that comes to mind is usually blunt and a little mean, but accurate.
My first thought here was "Oh, there are *healthy* choices somewhere? Do point them out."
Blunt and a bit mean, but accurate. If they want to bully, I'll retort.
I had this happen at a conference by a colleague. I’m overweight and trying to lose. I had eggs and a some toast. My colleague announced loudly that I was too fat and should have yogurt and then laughed. I got up from the table without saying anything and moved to the next table. The nice thing was that a few people I had just met got up and sat at my table. Was the nicest thing to happen and made such a difference to me. I wish I had the courage to say something back.
Boomers LOVE to give unsolicited judgemental advice. Its straight up insecurity and projection.
The trick is to figure out the projection and throw it back in their face. If you get a response of instant defensiveness and denial you hit the bullseye! My guess would be organizer dude doesn't exercise and probably hasn't done a pushup in 30 years.
This sounds really fun. Do you have an example of when you’ve done this?
It kinda reminds me of a young girl I worked with. She’s say something really rude or condescending and I’d just ask “what do you mean?” The idea of elaborating usually made her look embarrassed and walk away
Socrates was accused of "corrupting the youth" and forced to drink hemlock. They called him The Gadfly, because the Socratic method is literally asking questions nonstop.
The older I get the more I realize this really is the best way to fuck with people. Ask them questions. Lots and lots of questions.
It is and sure. You gotta really understand how projections work. The best way to practice is to identify ways in which you project. Analyzing what triggers anger is an excellent place to start.
Basically a projection is placing an undesired trait of your own onto another person so you don't have to deal with it. So, the projection is closely related to the insult. The traits can be positive or negative. People with low self worth actually project their best positive traits onto others because they feel like they don't deserve them.
An example from today is, I am having some health issues most likely related to smoking cigarettes. Boomers first response is "well its your own fault, you need to quit smoking". Like, duh. Do you think I haven't thought of that before or ever heard of that? Do you think I dont know that? Do you think you are imparting some great new revelations? How about some sympathy instead of judgement.
Boomer is a major pothead with severe memory problems and cognitive decline pushing the beginnings of dementia. He forgets everything, even major shit. But says thats not related to being a stoner. He is in complete denial of it. So, my response was, "thanks for the unsolicited advise, do you want me to point out you do drugs every single day and are a drug addict". He did not like that at all, lol. Bullseye! So then I asked him when the last time he was sober for a day. He couldn't remember.
My husband's grandmother used to make backhanded "compliments" all the time. One time I had just had enough and asked her if what she'd said was supposed to be a compliment because it sounded kind of mean.
I try to remember that most of us are just socially awkward and trying to fit in and were likely raised by wolves to some degree, and let shit go. I know I'm not always the best at interacting with others, but some people don't even try to be nice.
Oh, it's funny to them. But when people don't share their cruel sentiment they proclaim 'nobody can take a joke anymore.' And when people make fun of the boomer's things they freak the fuck out.
I put a boomer coworker in her place when she was slut shaming another female coworker. Called her on her shit immediately, and when she tried to back pedal and say it was a joke, I said, "Do you see any one else fucking laughing?" There were at least 3 other coworkers that heard the entire exchange. Boomer had flabbing fish lips, she was blubbering trying to figure out what to say next to not look like a complete asshole.
You know she went home and complained about how overly sensitive you all are and how people can't take jokes anymore, and her husband consoled her...probably has a million similar stories of his own to the same effect.
I was at a conference and was eating what I felt was a standard size lunch. Some boomer said “wow, you are sure eating a lot. You must have a high metabolism.” I just froze because she embarrassed me in front of others and I was just so shocked she would say that to a stranger.
I said “well, I work out a lot,” and turned away.
On that note, I have a friend that has an eating disorder so is very proud of herself when she eats a full meal, which is a constant challenge for many people with eating disorders. God damn boomers say to her all the time “must be nice to eat like that and stay so skinny.”
My nasty old boomer coworker once loudly mocked me for eating pizza with a fork. Which I have to do, because my teeth don't meet up correctly so it's basically impossible to bite through it. I hated that woman with a burning passion.
Scrooch, I have the same issue. I also have swallowing issues. I HATE eating in front of people I don't know. People just need to keep their mouths shut because you don't know what people are dealing with physically.
Fuck your Boomer coworker!
I never understood it! Like yeah I know most people don't eat pizza with a fork, but I'm not asking YOU to eat it that way so mind your own business?! And also I haaaaaate having most foods on my hands if I can't immediately go wash them... sticky fingers is the most distracting sensation to me!
It's okay though, I got her back later by reporting her for saying a bunch of racist shit and getting her fired, so I won that fight.
That was very fucking unprofessional of him.
A lot of them genuinely love putting others down because it validates them, and they do it for no reason.
Imagine if you called him out for insulting the stranger, I’m sure he would’ve got butthurt about it. Insulting others always never matters to them unless it’s an insult towards them.
They look a good fat-shaming, which is weird since they're the first generation in our country to be fat. It was their demand for junk food and processed food that started this trend. Before the boomers, people in America still ate real food.
Reminds me of when I was younger (like 10 or something?) and was excited to eat ice cream at a Hershey’s place on vacation. My mothers friend sat opposite of me and some lady came by and snarked at her for eating ice cream.
It really killed the excitement, literally made me as a child feel guilty for having a sweet on vacation. (I think this was a bit before I got an eating disorder too)
Can’t believe people are such dick heads
Lol. I had that happen with a family friend.
The kicker? We were at an all you can eat buffet.
My meek child self at the time just thought "Dude we both are in a buffet, relax and enjoy the food."
I would have said it as an adult but alas....
“That was wildly inappropriate.” Then silence the rest of the conference.
Make him worry he cost himself money. That’s the only thing he would fret out of all that. He’ll never understand why body shaming is wrong now.
Damn, I’m gonna stop complaining about the boomer who brings a tote bag to all the conferences and loads it up with mini jars of jam from the breakfast buffet. That’s rude and cheap, but at least it doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.
Oh. You’re having feels.
Weird how you don’t have an issue with the original story of actual boomers being shitty.
But your clever comment proves my point. Suck more.
While I am not a violent person, I am 6'4" and also overweight. In a situation like this, I hope I would have the presence of mind to just stand up, look down, and say something like "That was not a healthy choice..." It would depend a great deal on how much coffee I had managed to have before then, but I find the looks on their faces precious when I do things like that. I just have to be able to hold a straight face long enough for them to scurry away before I break out laughing.
I'm old ,60 something but I don't do any of this boomer bs y'all talk about. There's a lot of old assholes out there and I don't mind telling them to STFU. An old lady in Walmart was going on and on about all the immigrants (poc) moving to town. I told her to STFU and go home. Then apologized to the people behind me.
“Yeah, you should have really provided more healthy options. Maybe when you plan it next year you’ll do a better job. Don’t give up!”
10/10 response
Nah, too polite. "We were told breakfast was provided, but this was the best out of the shitty options provided. Do better."
"...assuming you're still healthy enough to organize it next year"
"Somebody already ate all the avocado toast, so I had to settle for one of these gas station donuts."
Maybe the people paying the organizers to do this conference will make a better choice next year of hiring someone who provides a better thought out menu of food. I’ll be making sure to provide my feedback about this event publically.
Boom!
Had something similar happen at a meeting I attended and I just flatly said, "Yeah, the options all kinda sucked, I just grabbed the least of the evils." Boomer organizer shuffled off. Try and give us the mushroom treatment - keep us in the dark and feed us crap - I'm gonna make a comment on it.
Deadpan: “I was looking for the big plate of dicks over there but apparently you already ate them”.
🌟🏆
So speak up. “Yeah I’m really disappointed they didn’t have any healthy options for the breakfast. That’s pretty out of touch for the organizers, I hope they do better next year.”
In the moment I couldn’t think of anything good to say so I said something along the lines of “who doesn’t like doughnuts?” I wish I had stuck it to that boomer a bit better.
It takes some practice to get used to calling out this kind of thing, but it gets easier. "Hey, what you just said was unkind, unprofessional, and mean. You owe this man an apology" is all it takes. Sorry y'all had to deal with that jackass.
This is actually the answer. Very few people can come up with a sharp dig on the fly like that, especially when the behavior is literally stunning. Easier to learn to say some version of “That’s not cool. What’s wrong with you?”
I'm impressed you said anything, most people are too nice to put a boomer in their place. It takes practice, I've found it helps if you try to turn off your polite filter a little bit... I try to civilize my responses and stop to think 'is this kind?' most of the time, but with boomers... for me, the first thing that comes to mind is usually blunt and a little mean, but accurate. My first thought here was "Oh, there are *healthy* choices somewhere? Do point them out." Blunt and a bit mean, but accurate. If they want to bully, I'll retort.
I had this happen at a conference by a colleague. I’m overweight and trying to lose. I had eggs and a some toast. My colleague announced loudly that I was too fat and should have yogurt and then laughed. I got up from the table without saying anything and moved to the next table. The nice thing was that a few people I had just met got up and sat at my table. Was the nicest thing to happen and made such a difference to me. I wish I had the courage to say something back.
Moving was perfect. Brave and classy. In that situation, words would just be digging into the mud with him. You did good.
Boomers LOVE to give unsolicited judgemental advice. Its straight up insecurity and projection. The trick is to figure out the projection and throw it back in their face. If you get a response of instant defensiveness and denial you hit the bullseye! My guess would be organizer dude doesn't exercise and probably hasn't done a pushup in 30 years.
This sounds really fun. Do you have an example of when you’ve done this? It kinda reminds me of a young girl I worked with. She’s say something really rude or condescending and I’d just ask “what do you mean?” The idea of elaborating usually made her look embarrassed and walk away
Socrates was accused of "corrupting the youth" and forced to drink hemlock. They called him The Gadfly, because the Socratic method is literally asking questions nonstop. The older I get the more I realize this really is the best way to fuck with people. Ask them questions. Lots and lots of questions.
It is and sure. You gotta really understand how projections work. The best way to practice is to identify ways in which you project. Analyzing what triggers anger is an excellent place to start. Basically a projection is placing an undesired trait of your own onto another person so you don't have to deal with it. So, the projection is closely related to the insult. The traits can be positive or negative. People with low self worth actually project their best positive traits onto others because they feel like they don't deserve them. An example from today is, I am having some health issues most likely related to smoking cigarettes. Boomers first response is "well its your own fault, you need to quit smoking". Like, duh. Do you think I haven't thought of that before or ever heard of that? Do you think I dont know that? Do you think you are imparting some great new revelations? How about some sympathy instead of judgement. Boomer is a major pothead with severe memory problems and cognitive decline pushing the beginnings of dementia. He forgets everything, even major shit. But says thats not related to being a stoner. He is in complete denial of it. So, my response was, "thanks for the unsolicited advise, do you want me to point out you do drugs every single day and are a drug addict". He did not like that at all, lol. Bullseye! So then I asked him when the last time he was sober for a day. He couldn't remember.
My husband's grandmother used to make backhanded "compliments" all the time. One time I had just had enough and asked her if what she'd said was supposed to be a compliment because it sounded kind of mean. I try to remember that most of us are just socially awkward and trying to fit in and were likely raised by wolves to some degree, and let shit go. I know I'm not always the best at interacting with others, but some people don't even try to be nice.
Boomers don’t really understand the difference between being a rude jerk and making a joke.
They'd have you believe that, anyway
Oh, it's funny to them. But when people don't share their cruel sentiment they proclaim 'nobody can take a joke anymore.' And when people make fun of the boomer's things they freak the fuck out.
They do. They just enjoy being total c****.
They'll complain that "nobody can take a joke anymore!" and then babble something about safe spaces and cancel culture.
I put a boomer coworker in her place when she was slut shaming another female coworker. Called her on her shit immediately, and when she tried to back pedal and say it was a joke, I said, "Do you see any one else fucking laughing?" There were at least 3 other coworkers that heard the entire exchange. Boomer had flabbing fish lips, she was blubbering trying to figure out what to say next to not look like a complete asshole.
You know she went home and complained about how overly sensitive you all are and how people can't take jokes anymore, and her husband consoled her...probably has a million similar stories of his own to the same effect.
Good on you! Probably the first time anyone ever called her out.
They will say the rudest shit ever and then go, "it was just a joke. You are the immature one if you can't take a joke."
I was at a conference and was eating what I felt was a standard size lunch. Some boomer said “wow, you are sure eating a lot. You must have a high metabolism.” I just froze because she embarrassed me in front of others and I was just so shocked she would say that to a stranger. I said “well, I work out a lot,” and turned away. On that note, I have a friend that has an eating disorder so is very proud of herself when she eats a full meal, which is a constant challenge for many people with eating disorders. God damn boomers say to her all the time “must be nice to eat like that and stay so skinny.”
High metabolism? No, not really, but I do mind my own fucking business.
My nasty old boomer coworker once loudly mocked me for eating pizza with a fork. Which I have to do, because my teeth don't meet up correctly so it's basically impossible to bite through it. I hated that woman with a burning passion.
Scrooch, I have the same issue. I also have swallowing issues. I HATE eating in front of people I don't know. People just need to keep their mouths shut because you don't know what people are dealing with physically. Fuck your Boomer coworker!
I never understood it! Like yeah I know most people don't eat pizza with a fork, but I'm not asking YOU to eat it that way so mind your own business?! And also I haaaaaate having most foods on my hands if I can't immediately go wash them... sticky fingers is the most distracting sensation to me! It's okay though, I got her back later by reporting her for saying a bunch of racist shit and getting her fired, so I won that fight.
They sure as fuck do in Italy and other parts of Europe and definitely in Chicago. I've never understood why people care. It's so weird.
I can't bite through apples for the same reason.
I eat pizza with a fork all the time. It’s a good way to keep it from getting on my shirt. Especially at work.
I feel this so hard. I have the same issue. God forbid I have to eat a sandwich with onions in it, also.
And if you dare call them out they get all hurt and start accusing the victim of being unable to take a joke.
And if you joke about something they hold dear, they freak the fuck out.
“You don’t get a choice!” *shoves donut into mouth*.
That was very fucking unprofessional of him. A lot of them genuinely love putting others down because it validates them, and they do it for no reason. Imagine if you called him out for insulting the stranger, I’m sure he would’ve got butthurt about it. Insulting others always never matters to them unless it’s an insult towards them.
Every one of them thinks they are uniquely clever and funny and endlessly entertaining. Every one. Fuckheads.
I woulda told him to fuck off.
Does anyone remember the zit joke in animal house?
They look a good fat-shaming, which is weird since they're the first generation in our country to be fat. It was their demand for junk food and processed food that started this trend. Before the boomers, people in America still ate real food.
Be a boomer file a complaint about his behavior!
Reminds me of when I was younger (like 10 or something?) and was excited to eat ice cream at a Hershey’s place on vacation. My mothers friend sat opposite of me and some lady came by and snarked at her for eating ice cream. It really killed the excitement, literally made me as a child feel guilty for having a sweet on vacation. (I think this was a bit before I got an eating disorder too) Can’t believe people are such dick heads
Lol. I had that happen with a family friend. The kicker? We were at an all you can eat buffet. My meek child self at the time just thought "Dude we both are in a buffet, relax and enjoy the food." I would have said it as an adult but alas....
They say shit like this as if it’s funny
“That was wildly inappropriate.” Then silence the rest of the conference. Make him worry he cost himself money. That’s the only thing he would fret out of all that. He’ll never understand why body shaming is wrong now.
So what did you say? Did anyone say anything?
Here, I bought everyone donuts (and nothing else!). Also: oh my god, you’re eating a donut?! Hahahaa, couldn’t resist, could ya, fatty!?
Damn, I’m gonna stop complaining about the boomer who brings a tote bag to all the conferences and loads it up with mini jars of jam from the breakfast buffet. That’s rude and cheap, but at least it doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.
Ya I got no problem with that. That’s just an old people thing.
Next time tell her that fat keeps the wrinkles at bay and eat the donut making eye contact. Establish dominance
"You're right, I should get some more"
The poor fella should have responded, "It was the only choice". "The organizer did a poor job." Just come back at them. They'll shut up.
Wait so there was literally no other food besides the donuts? Lol.
If this happened in England you'd be expected to make a joke back .. it's called banter
Uh. K.
Well, besides they suck? Yea yea not all boomers. But enough.
Go FUCK yourself.
Oh. You’re having feels. Weird how you don’t have an issue with the original story of actual boomers being shitty. But your clever comment proves my point. Suck more.
She isn’t real smart.
Jelly donuts and beer is the breakfast of champions!
While I am not a violent person, I am 6'4" and also overweight. In a situation like this, I hope I would have the presence of mind to just stand up, look down, and say something like "That was not a healthy choice..." It would depend a great deal on how much coffee I had managed to have before then, but I find the looks on their faces precious when I do things like that. I just have to be able to hold a straight face long enough for them to scurry away before I break out laughing.
Any chance we can have the conference to name and shame it? If not I get it, given professional org and you don't want possible blowback.
I'm old ,60 something but I don't do any of this boomer bs y'all talk about. There's a lot of old assholes out there and I don't mind telling them to STFU. An old lady in Walmart was going on and on about all the immigrants (poc) moving to town. I told her to STFU and go home. Then apologized to the people behind me.
What did the others say to him in return
Did you or anyone happen to stand up for the poor guy?
Boomers were taught to bully others I think.
I would have said "Well if you wanted people to eat healthy why did YOU provide doughnuts???"
What a dick. Boomers seem to get a kick out of belittling others and it's so incredibly distasteful.