26 Hilarious Times Baby Boomers Tried to Use the Internet and Failed
Updated Jan. 18 2019, 12:13 p.m. ET
Some things are amazing together. Peanut butter and jelly. Movies and snacks. Convertibles and sunglasses. But other combinations should definitely be avoided at all costs. Like, Cheetos and milk, or peanuts and Coke, or baby boomers and social media.
I can't count on two hands the number of times I've tried to pry the phone out of my mother's hands after she posts a private message to her whole Facebook wall, or chain-mail circulates a meme to my entire extended family on Whatsapp.
But it seems I'm not the only one who finds grownups using the internet, or at least attempting to use the internet, a hilarious sport.
Below, 26 times baby boomers really tried to make their mark online.
1. Cool new profile pic, dad.
I'm not even sure where this guy got the filter, but the more I look at it, the more inspired it seems. I want to try!
2. Jane hasn't quite figured out speech-to-text.
And it's terrifying! Poor thing, but I really can't stop laughing.
3. Thanks for the great review, Peter.
Is that weird spacing a setting? It looks like the Xanga and Myspace days of yore.
4. DON'T SCHOOL ME ON CAPS LOCKS. JEEZ.
She started data entry back in 1958 on IBM machines, so she knows what a keyboard looks like. Sheesh. To be fair, she does make some valid points.
5. So many things going on at once here!
Trying out a new platform, a dad joke, a concerned online friend, and finally a response from the poster. Glad all is well there!
6. Beautiful sentiment with the wrong emoji.
I've seen parents misuse the crying-laughing emoji so many times but I never have the heart to say anything! Imagine having to correct this grieving soul?
7. TMI GRANDMA!!
Jeez, grandma. I never knew you and gramps stayed so passionate so long. Hell, that's more action than a lot of 20-year-olds get.
8. Who sang —
This reminds me of the time Cher tweeted asking if anyone could "c" her. This Jimmy Buffett fan probably forgot that Google was just a quick click away.
9. Lovely profile pic, pops.
Seems someone missed the mark on this crop, or is very proud of their (and grandma's!) forehead. I love the cute fairy dog too. Where do baby boomers get all these cute widgets and filters?
10. Canoe for sale... not.
Came to the Facebook Marketplace, obviously not to sell a $75 canoe, but just to warn you about it. "Terrible service from both... Terrible!!!! No Lie." After all that trouble just to share your honest review, I believe you.
11. Confused the comment box with the Google search box. Whoops!
"How do I get rid of a clingy ex" followed by "GARLIC BREAD RECIPE"... Are exes still clingy when they reach old age? Who is this person?! I kind of want to be their friend.
12. Excuse me, what?
These accidental Google searches have to be my favorite brand of baby-boomer online humor. But I just wish this person had been given the time to finish their question! What exactly did wood doors have to do with World War II? I never paid much attention in history class and I'm honestly dying to know.
13. Nice hacking job, dad.
This dad should join the FBI. He clearly is a master at covering his traces!
14. Dan can't take the timeline anymore.
Poor Dan never realized that signing up for Facebook would just mean being forced to read everything you didn't care to know about everyone you friended. But now everyone he's friends with will see these cries for help, and I really want a follow-up screenshot to see what happened to Dan and his social media presence.
15. Nice try, Deb.
Super clever move, Deb! Millennials do have a lot to learn from your generation, it's true. Next time I want to go for dinner, I'll give the restaurant 5 stars on Yelp with a comment that reads, "Will you make a special dine-in price just for me?"
16. I'm not a cop.
Maybe this is their generation's version of "asking for a friend"? Either that, or Hector is one THOUSAND percent definitely totally a cop.
17. Couch for sale.
That feel when you want to sell a cute, comfortable, three-seater couch and accidentally end up posting a picture of your dog. No, but really don't feel bad, it happens to me all the time.
18. Carolyn won't stand for plagiarism.
She doesn't want you to think she traveled into space with an expensive telescopic lens just because she posted this picture.
19. Where is this conversation taking place?
Honest to God, this made me laugh out loud because I've had the exact same text message conversation with both of my parents.
20. The most wholesome wholesome-meme.
"Keep up the good work, friend!" I wish everyone took the time and mental effort to constructively critique the digital multimedia work millennials spend hours of their time making and sharing.
21. Oh, boy.
This lady just diagnosed herself with OCD and I can't tell if she's hilarious and sarcastic or totally earnest and adorable. "What this means for me, I'm not sure. Will have to wait and see." If that test is the only barometer, I have OCD too.
22. She had enough of seeing chihuahua pics in the chihuahua Facebook group.
I wonder if she just thought all of Facebook was obsessed with no other breed than chihuahuas. Maybe she's a German Shepherd person. Who knows.
23. HIV positive or negative.
I believe this person was in their early 30s... Thirty years ago, maybe! But at least this Christian is somewhat open-minded.
24. I think the only thing better than a dad joke is a mom joke.
Slow clap for this one, seriously.
25. Grandpa forgot he had another grandson :(
"False alarm" is a really good way to wrap up this honestly inspired thread.
26. I would share this too if I had a copy machine.
Oof.
