Boomer, Zoomer, Doomer, Bloomer — Which One Are You?

What is your personality?

Have you ever felt that your personality is older or younger than the age on your birth certificate? Yes? Us too! The saying, “Age is just a number” has never felt more real than now. So, forget trying to find out if you are an ENFJ or an INTP — figuring out if you are a Bloomer or a Zoomer is the new trend! Let’s find out together what your real personality type is based on how you react, think, and what you do on a daily basis. But what exactly is a Boomer, Zoomer, Doomer, and Bloomer and how did these terms come about?

The term Boomer would be considered the oldest of the four. It is a well-known generation demographic of people born from 1946 - 1964 (a.k.a. could likely be your parents). Directly contrasting Boomers are Zoomers. This term is a nickname used for Generation Z or those born from 1996 - 2015. They are named as such, not because of the now-famous video conferencing app Zoom but because of how fast-paced everything is for them — fast technology, fast food, fast fashion, you name it! Likewise, the term Doomer first appeared on September 16th, 2018 when an anonymous user uploaded a meme on the website 4chan depicting a depressed, no-care-about-the-world type of character. The meme went viral two hours after it was uploaded. Lastly, the name Bloomer was coined to contrast Doomers and depicts a happy-go-lucky and sunshine-filled person.

Today, there are different variations and connotations of these -oomers so let’s begin with expounding on their characteristics.

When you think of Boomers, what type of person automatically comes to mind? Karens, definitely (Guardian.com gives an excellent explanation of Karen)! Not that there’s anything wrong with being a Karen, but if you find yourself accustomed to old ways of working and are constantly pissed off at younger generations, then you are a Boomer. You fail to realize that times and beliefs have changed and that younger generations may sometimes be on the right path. And because you shut out anything else outside what you are used to, you find yourself stressed over things that are out of your control. Examples include seeing woke Millennials doing TikToks in public, younger kids earning money from doing useless YouTube channels instead of having a real corporate job, or teens being politically active. Immediately, your inner frustration comes out and you think, “Why can’t these kids just be like how I was when I was their age?!” — Well, hello, Boomer!

Just recently, memes have circulated over Facebook and TikTok popularizing the catchphrase “OK Boomer.” It started with a viral TikTok video clip of an older man stating, “The millennials and Generation Z have the Peter Pan syndrome, they don’t ever want to grow up.” Now, you all know what happened next. Thousands of teenagers dueted the video and snapped back with, “OK, Boomer.” So if you've ever heard anyone say this to you, look no further, Boomer. Younger generations often use this as a derogatory comeback to shut down the outdated ideals of older people. The New York Times even calls this the new generation’s equivalent to an eye-roll.

Now don’t feel sad if you relate to Boomers but don’t want to embrace the negative connotation the name gives — Boomers aren’t all that bad. The world still needs you for your strong personality and a smug smile.

Not a Boomer like Karen, you think? Maybe you are a Zoomer. Zoomers are definitely woke. However, don’t get Millennials confused with Zoomers. The latter would consider themselves more tech-savvy, politically engaged, and entrepreneurial. So, if you think you are “in” with today’s trends and find yourself constantly spilling the tea, then you are a Zoomer! You constantly find yourself living for what you see on social media. You get influenced to buy something merely because you saw it on TikTok or you see your fave celebrity advertise the product on Instagram.

While Millennials are known to have a bad rap for being entitled and lazy at the workplace, Zoomers are the complete opposite. You strive for management to see your full potential and aim to always be at your best. If you don’t like something or you want to see something change, you fight for it and you constantly stand for what you believe in and challenge the status quo. Despite whatever age you are, you see yourself as young at heart and you feel that when you set your mind to something, you are open and willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

Hashtag protesting

More than anything, because you are very tech-savvy, you use this to your advantage to know and be aware of the latest news and trends. You are keen on keeping up with what is happening around the world and if you see something you don’t like, you find a way to change it. You also use technology as a means to constantly grow and innovate and challenge yourself.

Indifferent

If you’ve ever found yourself repeatedly saying, “Screw this!” about 100 times a day, you might as well be a Doomer. The main characteristic you’ve got is the indifference with a side of snide remarks. When a problem comes your way, your automatic response is worrying at first but eventually not caring at all. Although you have a couple of friends, you probably prefer being alone and wallowing in your loneliness. But for a Doomer, there’s nothing wrong with wallowing in your loneliness and depressing life because you thrive on this. The lonelier you are and the less care you give about the world, the better your life is from your perspective.

So you might be wondering where on earth did you get this kind of mindset and how did your life become so miserable? It’s actually because, in the past, you tried to care about the world and all it’s problems (just like a Zoomer) but instead of trying to find viable solutions for them, you decided to take in all the negativity and carry the world’s problems as your own. See, you aren’t so bad after all. And because of this, you started hating yourself and pushing people away.

Who cares about the world and its people anyway when you’ve got yourself to get you by. You think that the world is full of lies and what was fed to you growing up is all a bunch of lies. Indeed, life doesn’t get better after college. Because of all the hurt you’ve gone through in the past, you, as a Doomer, believe that you are the only sole person you can trust.

If you think you are none of the above and have a very positive outlook on life and everything it has to offer, then you are 100% a Bloomer. Just as its name suggests, Bloomers are very bright and bubbly. They do not let any sort of negativity get in their way (bye, Doomer). Life throws them lemons? They make lemonade! Life gives them a challenge? They face it head-on with a smile on their faces. You are like a ray of sunshine in this world full of problems. Unlike Doomers, you thrive on being surrounded by people and find solace in life’s little blessings.

Happiness in bubbles

No matter what problems come your way, you find a way to look at the brighter side and turn your sorrows into joy. There is no stopping you from living your best life because you know that you only have one life to live so you make the best of it. Even though you have a minimum-wage 9 to 5 job and a manager that you want to snap back at, you deliberately choose to take the high road and focus on how to maximize your time and energy. There is literally nothing in this world that can take the positivity off of your vocabulary.

Well-adjusted and content with life are just some of the few adjectives that describe who you are as a human being. Many aspire to be like you so keep on keeping on, Bloomer!

Now after reading through all the descriptions and you’re still not decided on which -oomer you are, try out these online tests to verify.

To rule out if you are a Zoomer or a Boomer, try this fun video quiz from BuzzFeed.

Boomer, Zoomer, Doomer, Bloomer? Find out from SaltZone’s quiz on GoToQuiz!

What -oomer are you? Sassy’s quiz on Quotev will give you the answer.

Choices, choices

You should know by now that your personality has nothing to do with your age. Do you constantly want to speak to the manager because you are stressed out by younger generations? Your name must be Karen, Boomer. Tech-savvy, innovative, and ready to change the world? Hello, Zoomer! Living your best life without a care in the world to give? Hang in there, Doomer. Bubbly, positive, and surrounded by things that spark joy? Keep on blooming, Bloomer! There were many traits to take in and many characteristics and mannerisms to consider above. Determining which -oomer you are definitely taking a lot of self-reflection, but once you realize which one, your whole perspective changes and you can live your -oomer life to the fullest!