OK Boomer: Intergenerational Conflict in Aitmatov’s The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years
In 2019, millennials and generation Z took to social media and began the "OK boomer" movement. This mobilization was born out of generational frustration for baby boomers' seeming lack of understanding of or care for modern social affairs. It sparked controversy among baby boomers, who felt as though they were being shut off from the younger generations, unable to even engage in meaningful conversation. Tension between generations is common, whether it is simple child-parent discord or something more complex, such as the young workforce taking jobs from older workers. Older generations are “too old” and “outdated,” whereas those who are younger are “too revolutionary,” “insane,” and “do not know what they are talking about.” The question stands if this tension can be productively resolved. Is tension an inevitability of human infighting, or can it take a supportive role to foster respectful communication and growth?
Chingiz Aitmatov’s The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years (1980) moves between two stories, one of which follows Yedigei of the Boranly-Burranyi train junction as he journeys to bury his recently deceased friend, Kazangap. One primary aspect of this story is the juxtaposition between the past and the present. This contrast is presented through the dual stories within the book, but also within the tension between characters. While Yedigei represents an older generation, characterized by hard work and tradition, the new junction workers, as well as Kazangap’s son Sabitzhan, represent the new world of advancing technology, replacing culture and historical knowledge. The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years encapsulates many issues of humanity, one of which is the tendency for intergenerational fighting. While this novel captures a moment in time in late twentieth-century Kazakhstan in the USSR, its larger themes find resonance in the present day. The generational tension exhibited in The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years parallels the tension between generations today, even relating to the “OK boomer” trend on social media.
Yedigei’s contempt for Sabitzhan and the younger junction workers is synonymous to the baby boomers of our time; while younger generations call for change and modernization, Yedigei and seasoned junction workers preach the importance of the past. Yedigei, as a representative of the older generation, fights for traditional values and customs, especially in relation to Kazangap’s burial. Before death, Kazangap asked Yedigei to bury him at Ana-Beit, the place of tradition and Kazak myth; however, upon the arrival of Kazangap’s children an argument ensues over the importance of the burial site. While Sabitzhan questions the necessity of a long journey simply to bury his father, proposing that “was it not all the same to the dead where they are buried?,” Yedigei pushes back in the name of honor (Aitmatov 31). Yedigei’s rebuttal, stating that “people don’t bury their dear ones just anywhere,” and that they must observe Kazangap’s memory in a proper fashion, represents tradition (32). After Kazangap’s death, Yedigei is the only representative of the initial founders of the junction. Therefore, he embodies the older generation and everything they stood for, including hard work, as exemplified by the stories of Yedigei’s past, and the celebration of culture, depicted through the telling of old myths and histories. Yedigei’s conflict with Sabitzhan highlights the intergenerational conflict at the root of change.
Sabitzhan is a modern man, educated to the highest degree and actively engaging in the progress of society; however, he lacks an understanding and respect for the past. At the end of their journey, Yedigei and the rest of the burial party are met with a literal barrier blocking their entrance to the Ana-Beit cemetery. While Yedigei insists that they do not turn back and settle on burying Kazangap at the junction, Sabitzhan insists that they have “done enough riding already” and should give up (335). In Sabitzhan’s view, burying his father at the junction is no different than at Ana-Beit or elsewhere in the Sarozek, the desert setting of the novel. Sabitzhan is a member of the new generation: he holds new modern ideas and sees tradition as meaningless. An important aspect of Sabitzhan’s characterization is in his conversations with Yedigei about these new ideas, one of which is about the control of society with biocurrents. Sabitzhan believes that “the time will come when it will be possible to control people directly by radio,” thus eliminating unnecessary aspects of humanity such as love and sex (45-46). Indeed, these are revolutionary ideas. Sabitzhan clashes with Yedigei, and they both represent different generations as well as the conflict between them. As such, this theme of the book makes The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years applicable to almost every reader, as generational conflict is almost universal in the human experience.
Sabitzhan’s revolutionary nature and desire to rid the present of the wastes of the past parallels the fundamental ideas behind the “OK boomer” trend on social media. In our modern society, we see the same disregard for tradition among younger individuals. These ideas are in the name of progress, and aim to discredit the past. Whether or not the progress envisioned is beneficial, both the “OK boomer” movement and Sabitzhan’s attitude towards Yedigei reflect the frustration among young people towards the older generations and the stagnation they represent.
In many ways, Yedigei’s call for tradition and the contempt of the younger generation in The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years mirrors the response of baby-boomers to the “OK boomer” movement. Yedigei sees Sabitzhan’s words and actions as immature. For example, as the burial party prepares for their journey across the Sarozek the night before, Yedigei criticizes Sabitzhan for his lack of respect for the dead, saying that “he sits there, drinking away as if he were at a party, and it all means nothing to him” (48). Yedigei’s response makes more sense when put in the context of the present day. While younger individuals harken for change, older generations scoff at their lack of respect for the past. In both cases whether this change is subjectively favorable or not, these tensions exist between generations. In the context of the “OK boomer” movement, younger individual’s attempt to highlight baby boomers lack of social awareness only made the latter solidify their views. While it is important that Aitmatov’s novel highlights the presentation of these tensions, it also reveals that a key aspect of resolution is understanding.
The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years by Aitmatov highlights the fundamental nature of generational conflict, and in doing so, it also underscores the constant nature of change and the discomfort it creates. Yedigei represents the past and the culture that the past carries, whereas Sabitzhan reflects a desire for change. The story is told from the perspective of Yedigei, who after Kazangap’s death, is the oldest male at the junction. His experiences at the junction are outlined through both memories and myth. They serve to show both the beauty and the hardship of the past. As it is from Yedigei’s perspective, Sabitzhan is characterized negatively, as a disrespecting character; however, he represents a very real frustration with older generations that they are out of touch with the present day. We see in both perspectives differing views of the future and how it should be directed. The fact that this tension occupies a significant part of the novel normalizes it, as it is something that we all have experienced. This is exemplified by modern versions of this tension. Political calls for out with the old, in with the new, and the “OK boomer” trend exhibit frustrations with antiquated ideas. In contrast, calls for preservation of history and tradition - such as older values of etiquette - radiate from centers of older thinking.
Perhaps the novel’s take on Yedigei’s conflict with Sabitzhan is a call for greater understanding between generations. The passage of time is inevitable, and with this passage comes changes to society and culture. What was a tradition in the past may not be a tradition of the future. This does not mean, though that the past cannot guide how we proceed. Aitmatov’s tone towards Yedigei and his conflicts with Sabitzhan suggests that there is great value in the past, including the traditions and myths that are passed down from generation to generation. Furthermore, while younger individuals, such as Sabitzhan move the world forward, they are not always doing so in the best interest of everyone. This is exhibited by Sabitzhan’s characterization as an educated fool: he is certainly intelligent and presents an image of success, but this is itself a facade, as it is revealed that he does not have as much power or knowledge as he suggests to others. The flaws in each of the characters, and the generations involved in the “OK boomer” conflict, suggest a need for understanding and collaboration. It is only when generations recognize and accept their differences that real progress towards a more just society can be made.
Furthermore, as alluded to before, The Day Lasts More than a Hundred Years can serve as a reminder that generational differences are normal, and are a part of the normal human experience. Not only does Yedigei have qualms with the younger generation, but the younger generations as exemplified by Sabitzhan disagree with Yedigei’s antiquated thinking. The fighting between Yedigei and Sabitzhan, as well as between less major characters of each generation, occupy a significant amount of space in the novel. Not only is the conflict between generations displayed through characters, but also through the changing landscape, as displayed by the juxtaposition between Yedigei’s junction and the governmental space launching sites dispersed throughout the desert. Change is fundamental to this story, and thus also to the human experience of growing older. This is further exemplified through modern examples such as the “OK boomer” trend, which clearly demonstrate how generational conflict is playing out in the modern day. Because change is inevitable, new generations are bound to have different experiences and points of view. With difference comes conflict, but this conflict does not have to be so divisive. While the productive potential of generational conflict remains an open question, it is one that is important for the continued fight towards progress and peace.
Bibliography
Aitmatov, Chingiz. The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years. Translated by F. J. French. Indiana University Press, 1988.
Zimmer, Ben. “'OK Boomer': A Defining Generation Becomes a Label for Irrelevance.” The Wall Street Journal, 21 Dec. 2019, www.wsj.com/articles/ok-boomer-a-defining-generation-becomes-a-label-for-irrelevance-11576904461.
