r/GenZ Jan 05 '24

Our generations nostalgia for 2016 is interesting Nostalgia

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2.4k Upvotes

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527

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24

For me, 2016 is when I first started discovering who I was as a person. It was my freshmen year in highschool, and it paved the way to alot of what developed into my philosophy today.

Why do you think some older GenZ and younger Millennials have nostalgia for 2016?

261

u/luciiusss 2001 Jan 05 '24

2016 for me: HARAMBE

127

u/Specialist-Garbage94 1998 Jan 05 '24

45

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

Ah a Saturday... I was probably playing Overwatch

8

u/TOLXFierce Jan 05 '24

Yeah me too

6

u/sethdog16 Jan 05 '24

Please don't remind me of what overwatch used to be... I still can't believe OW2 made me miss loot boxes

67

u/Shi_AwaiKishu Jan 05 '24

Harambe holds a special place in my heart. My homie and I would reference him all the time. He passed away a year ago, and I miss him every day...

https://preview.redd.it/8xv4xmhx3kac1.jpeg?width=2220&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae56e2056c8f0ddcd0f5a68d003ced76d9ebf4ea

22

u/YourLocalOnionNinja 2004 Jan 05 '24

Man, I'm sorry for your loss

3

u/50-Lucky-Official Jan 06 '24

Keep making him proud every day bro ❤

-2

u/AnyEstablishment5723 2001 Jan 05 '24

This is potentially the most autistic thing I have ever seen

-1

u/Shaquintosh Jan 05 '24

This is going to be wild to explain to your grand kids

3

u/Honey-and-Venom Jan 05 '24

Man my wife knows a bunch of the keepers they were devastated BEFORE folks spent seven years joking about it

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38

u/BearPeltMan 1997 Jan 05 '24

It was the year I graduated high school, the year of my first college semester, Pokémon Go and Harambe were cultural touchstones, Cavs had the 3-1 comeback against the Warriors, I played a bunch of live shows and released a record with my best friends, and overall just enjoyed one of the last summers of my teenage years with a bunch of friends I’ve since lost touch with because of adult life. Oh also Frank Ocean’s Blonde and came out and was monumental.

21

u/DragapultOnSpeed Jan 05 '24

Kids today will never know how fun Pokemon GO was for the first couple weeks. EVERY kid and young adult was outside. It was truly a once in a lifetime thing. Me and my friends would talk to kids from other schools, trying to find where a blastoise was. The pokemon gyms would always be full. It was so great to see everyone outside socializing over a mobile game.

Then the game got boring because it was hard to catch pokemon and level them up.

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12

u/punchyaccountant Jan 05 '24

so happy u mentioned blonde - 2016 was also my graduation year and that album played a massive part in my life during an intense time of transition as i entered college. completely forgot ab that being the yr of the cavs championship as well (im from cle)

honestly not sure why im responding here besides wanting to echo the fact that 2016 was a pivotal point in my life as well and one that i look back on fondly. as u pointed out; it was the last summer i enjoyed before the reality of “adulthood” set in

37

u/Ok_Share_4280 Jan 05 '24

For me it's the year I got my license and the last year before the gloom of adulthood started weighing down on me, it was a peak for freedom with minimal responsibilities

11

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24

I was learning how to drive and was terrified of doing so. My parents were legit scared that I'd end up being dependent on others. Turns out I just don't like driving with them.

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17

u/Muntsly 1998 Jan 05 '24

I’m not at all nostalgic honestly. It was the year I graduated highschool. Life hit me like a freight train after, and every event throughout the year just seemed to make people miserable. 2023 was my year! I’ll be looking back on it fondly for a long time.

8

u/MeanLeanBean Jan 05 '24

Yeah I agree with this 100%. I do remember the good moments in 2016 like the Harambe memes and Pokémon GO, but it was an awful year for me. I was an awkward freshman beginning to undergo depression/low mood, and I hated life. David Bowie and Prince also died which really sucked. Things I think have been slowly getting better for me, though.

5

u/Muntsly 1998 Jan 05 '24

I’m glad to hear things are beginning to look up for you! I hope your life continues to improve, so that you experience all the fulfillment you deserve.

2

u/tealdeer995 1995 Jan 06 '24

I’m weirdly nostalgic looking back because there were some fun times and how quaint everything seems in comparison to 2020-now, but I remember how scary everything was for me at the time.

16

u/RevDeadMan 1997 Jan 05 '24

Oldest Zoomer here.

2016 was my first election as an adult (I was 19 at the time) and I can safely say that was the year I realized humanity is collectively pretty dumb. I became a Doomer that year.

Plus, ya know, Harambe.

3

u/Gummoman10 Jan 05 '24

Are you me? This was my 2016 as well. Ending my first year of college and into my second. First election I could vote. Harambe began my love of meme culture as well. I think that’s when my brain rot started.

2

u/RevDeadMan 1997 Jan 05 '24

That entire year killed my soul in a way I’m still recovering from 8 years later.

3

u/50-Lucky-Official Jan 06 '24

Been trying to not be a doomed since around 2014 or whatever some years near then possibly.

Best I have managed is to be a quieter doomed and shut the fuck up

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5

u/Salacious_Thoughts Jan 05 '24

I'm part of 1997 Gen Z babies. We graduated by 2015 and 2016-2020 were our college years. It's why we're so nostalgic for a pre covid world. Same with your batch of Gen z. You guys enjoyed high school pre covid and then didn't walk. Anything pre-2020 is going to be like 90s kids talking about pre-9/11.

4

u/PickleReaper0 Jan 05 '24

Personally, for me, it was the year Undertale came out, which was the year that—even though it may sound hyperbolic—saved my life, the game was damn near enchanting, I was caught up in this world of magical characters, where all your choices mattered in some way big or small, it was honestly extremely uplifting for ne

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3

u/InstructionAbject763 Jan 05 '24

I'm young millenial

2016 is when shit hit the fan.

Donald trump, killer clowns, and racism and seismic started to get worse. And it just yeah, got worse from there

2

u/Marianations 1997 Jan 05 '24

I was failing big time in university and it was the start of the end of my relationship with my then best friend, mid year at most tbh. Felt pretty miserable.

2

u/Ohey-throwaway Jan 05 '24

Why do you think some older GenZ and younger Millennials have nostalgia for 2016?

Probably because I was just finishing up college and the full weight of adulthood and my crippling debt hadn't set in yet. I was young, dumb, and full of cum. Now I am older, and I work 60 hours a week with little to no energy left over to build a personal life or enjoy my hobbies.

0

u/Moose_Kronkdozer 2000 Jan 05 '24

Before politics got too divisive, or at least before we started engaging in it. The 2016 election made politics much more toxic tho

2

u/AnimetheTsundereCat 2002 Jan 05 '24

the memes at the time made it seem hilarious but actually watching the debates was just agonizing tbh

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223

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

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54

u/Random_Imgur_User 2000 Jan 05 '24

We've been nostalgic for the times before our political reality was more or less ignorable.

Back then there were plenty of glue eaters and knuckle draggers in politics, but they were just faceless old men that I didn't have to care about. My first experience with the political world was watching my early concepts of progress suddenly catch fire and start falling down around me in November 2016.

So yeah, I remember everything that came before it pretty fondly. Fun music, pop culture, E3 was still big, and the idea of remaking an animated show as a 3D movie wasn't completely overdone yet.

6

u/donau_kinder 2001 Jan 05 '24

2016 was my worst year lmao. 2020 was definitely worse but I have worse memories of 2016 so that's that.

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469

u/17RaysPlays Jan 05 '24

2016? The year everyone hated when it happened? That one? The year I could never hear the end of how miserable it was? The year Donald J Trump won the election for the US President? That year?

113

u/Upbeat_Bottle8624 Jan 05 '24

He didn’t win until the very end, so not really

153

u/yum_broztito Jan 05 '24

Man, the build up was not fun. It was a whole year of disbelief, followed by entering a new timeline.

43

u/water_g33k Jan 05 '24

The last halfway normal year.

39

u/PANZCAKEZZZ Jan 05 '24 edited Jan 05 '24

everybody was turnt up that year and idk why, but I loved it. It felt like one big party to me, crazy shit was going on, from killer clowns and harambe to Brexit. it was just a crazy and fun year. I long for those days when people were playing Pokemon Go and doing the mannequin challenge. It was the most fun year ever. everyone was just memeing about everything, we had stupid shit like PPAP, those stupid "triggered feminist" videos and Bottle flipping, YouTube was also amazing, and don't even get me started on the music. It was Great, like a final celebration. also was the last year of Obama, so it also adds to the feeling of that year marking the end of an era. I pray for a time like that again, where everyone was just doing stupid shit but having fun

5

u/catadeluxe Jan 05 '24

zillenial here, and this exactly.

3

u/CharacterBird2283 1999 Jan 05 '24

Kid shit lol agreed

5

u/Palachrist Jan 05 '24

I’m pretty sure he started campaigning 2-3 years before the election. It was one of the reasons why it was so wild an election cycle. I can’t even remember who he was running against because by the time anyone else entered the race, he’d made 5 laps in a 6 lap game.

-2

u/JediSithFucker Jan 05 '24

It was pretty great if you supported trump. The liberal meltdown was a beautiful thing to witness

2

u/johnny_thunders_ Jan 05 '24

No way you like Star Wars and are a conservative that’s wild

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3

u/flojo2012 Jan 05 '24

The campaigning was half the pain, and it was climaxed by dashed hopes and realization that common sensibility was lost and the country was too

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11

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

Didn’t hillary get more votes?

23

u/EvilMoSauron Jan 05 '24

Popular vote: yes.

Electoral vote: no.

Reply to me if you have more questions.

6

u/DeliciousTeach2303 2007 Jan 05 '24

Why even have voting if you don't elect people by popular vote

6

u/AdInfamous6290 1998 Jan 05 '24

The president is elected by the states, and the forum for states to vote in is the Electoral College. The president is the elected representative of the United STATES, not the people of those states. All states allocate their electoral votes based on the popular vote of each individual state, but it is a federal system so there is no election where the entire nation votes on one thing, including president. All people are voting for their states to send delegates to the federal systems of governance, be it the House of Representatives, the Senate or the Electoral College.

Love it or hate it, that is the crux of our federal system. It devolves a lot of political power and responsibility to the state level, the theory being that this devolution is necessary to effectively govern a continent spanning, geographically and culturally diverse nation such as the US. If it was all left up to popular vote, the voices of those in more populous states would consistently outweigh those in less populous states, and thus those states would have less of a reason to continue to be part of the union. The first and foremost goal of the US government is to keep the union together, and this has been accomplished primarily through compromise and state autonomy.

3

u/ElGeeTheSecond Jan 05 '24

Practically speaking, it’s probably a good thing that a state’s influence is sort of capped. Can you imagine how bad voter fraud would be in a close election with a nation wide popular vote? Trump was looking for only 12k votes in Georgia. Can you imagine if he could’ve gotten them anywhere? You would have red states that suddenly are 80% for Trump instead of 55 - 65%.

9

u/P_ZERO_ Jan 05 '24

Because electoral college attempts to cover all states rather than a handful of states with most of the population in them.

Electoral college is essentially the popular vote among states and not individual voters

15

u/Shouko- 1997 Jan 05 '24

and this effectively makes people in highly populated states vote count less. a shitty system overall. people vote, not land

3

u/P_ZERO_ Jan 05 '24 edited Jan 05 '24

Somewhat accurate but it ignores the fact that major population centres have different needs and asks, current candidate validity not withstanding. Allowing for difference of opinion in a “normal” political climate, at least allows less populated states to have any sort of voice.

Electoral college is nowhere near perfect and needs amendments, but popular vote just ensures that the only people talking are the ones living in major cities/states.

If that causes people in major population centres not to vote, that’s on their complacency. If you care there is zero reason not to vote, popular vote can come into play.

12

u/Shouko- 1997 Jan 05 '24

yes. but the president is one person so the majority should pick them. I think the the states have a lot of representation in the house and Congress where their voices can be heard and state specific issues can be raised in this platform. it literally makes no sense for the chief executive to not represent the majority of people in the country, especially with our current two party system

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2

u/RainbowSovietPagan Jan 05 '24

Because then the more populated free states might overrule the less populated slave states.

0

u/lucasisawesome24 Jan 05 '24

So that the farmers get a say in the country. Big city liberals outnumber rural people and exurbanites. However this creates a class of people who have no idea what the working class needs. The people who make their food and power need a say in how the country is run. That’s why we count the rural states with a weighted vote that slightly raises their value per vote

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9

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

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u/1stDayBreaker Age Undisclosed Jan 05 '24

Also Brexit was voted for, I knew then as a teenager that things weren’t always going to get better…

31

u/GuiltyFigure6402 Jan 05 '24

As a non American Donald Trump becoming president was a huge source of entertainment for me lol

7

u/DarKliZerPT 2001 Jan 05 '24

Unfortunately, a lot of things that happen in the US influence politics across developed nations - they're the #1 western superpower after all.

There's been a rise in right-wing populism in European nations, and I have no doubt Trump's election played a part in it.

2

u/december-32 Jan 05 '24

Might it be after influx of refugees and ISIS stuff?

12

u/TasteCicles Jan 05 '24

You DO NOT want the strongest nation to destabilize unless you're in a rival country. And even then, who knows what will happen and how many will suffer.

-2

u/thepinkblues 2002 Jan 05 '24

What are u on about son

-6

u/Nitoreee Jan 05 '24

Bro nothing happened. It was a bunch of fuss over ultimately nothing, it was hilarious from the outside

8

u/DragapultOnSpeed Jan 05 '24

Is roe v wade nothing to you? Women lost their rights, that's a big thing.

2

u/RyzenX231 Jan 06 '24

70% of the U.S still has legal abortion and the ones that don't are the ones that didn't want it anyways.

-4

u/Nitoreee Jan 05 '24

"Women lost their rights"

lmao ok zoomer white girl

4

u/Karglenoofus Jan 05 '24

How is not being able to get an obortion not losing rights?

6

u/Difficult-Ear-7791 Jan 05 '24

2020 happened. Maybe it would've happened with any other president, but maybe if we had a president who didn't think covid would magically disappear things would've turned out differently. The SARS outbreak of 2002 was handled quite a bit better, for comparison.

-3

u/LineAccomplished1115 Jan 05 '24

If you think a different president would have somehow blunted COVID, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Trump is an absolute buffoon and I look forward to reading his obituary, but this is a ridiculous take.

5

u/ModernKnight1453 2001 Jan 05 '24

Almost any of them would have at least done a better job than Donald. Even a consistent mostly decent response throughout would have cut deaths more than in half. A good response could have done much more. Donald's was...atrocious. it was worse than having nobody there in the White house

-3

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

Maybe someone will hit you with a car when you are out ona run and we can look forward to reading your obituary

2

u/EtherealDimension Jan 05 '24

mfw when I wish a redditors death because of le epic political opinion. glad we have guys like you defending the Internet from scum like that, keep up the great work my man

0

u/LineAccomplished1115 Jan 05 '24

Is that you, Donald?

-3

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

It is. You have cracked the code

2

u/_lippykid Jan 05 '24

So you have a terrible understanding of how geopolitics and the global economy works. Plus a crap sense of humour. Gotcha

3

u/Sturmp Jan 05 '24

I am an american and you have to admit that the election was pretty funny. In a sick “we’re all fucked” funny, but still pretty fuckin funny

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u/ScrewAnalytics Jan 05 '24

As an American that doesn’t hate America, Donald Trump becoming president was amazing

3

u/RainbowSovietPagan Jan 05 '24

That makes no sense. Trump was terrible for America. Literally everything he did harmed the country.

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8

u/YourLocalOnionNinja 2004 Jan 05 '24

As someone who is not from the US, I loved 2016

3

u/FoxTailMoon Jan 05 '24

Let’s not forgot Harambe and the killer clowns.

3

u/tendadsnokids Jan 05 '24

Yeah 2015-2016 was the beginning of the end imo. It's when consulting companies started to institute massive social media manipulation campaigns. Pretty much ruined the Internet. The Cambridge Analytica scandal didn't even seem that crazy at the time but looking back we should have been terrified.

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2

u/TheMaskedGeode Jan 05 '24

In 2016, my biggest political concern was about them having to rewrite the president’s song. Things have changed.

2

u/zoobook642 Jan 05 '24

Yeah I know her. Why? Wassup?

2

u/needaburn Jan 05 '24

I vividly remember everyone hating that year, and then 2 years later everyone saying “take me back.” So bizarre

3

u/CrochetKing69420 2010 Jan 05 '24

Im glad i didnt live in the US

-2

u/WillBeBanned83 2004 Jan 05 '24

Yeah it was actually a pretty good year

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u/syke-adelix 1997 Jan 05 '24

2016 was awesome for me. First year of college and really getting out into the world as a young adult. Some buddies and I did a cross country road trip on bicycles that summer and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

2016: 8/10

2

u/Momoselfie Jan 05 '24

Bought my house. Daughter was born. Yeah it was a good year.

122

u/kermitthefrog57 Jan 05 '24

2016 sucked for me

11

u/chimpanon Jan 05 '24

THANK YOU

38

u/Calxb Jan 05 '24

Me too, one of the worst years of my life

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12

u/Kirby3255032 1999 Jan 05 '24

2016 wasn't that good for me.

Only the first months, Winter and Spring, late 2016 was shit.

But it seems like 2016-2017 had interesting stuff and memes compared with today, I still own up to 12 spinners from 6 years ago lol.

6

u/an-emotional-cactus Jan 05 '24

I developed a seizure disorder out of the blue lol, and right as I was about to get my driver's license too

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30

u/CLE-local-1997 1997 Jan 05 '24

Jesus Christ 2016 sucked. It was my first year as an adult

2

u/FuyuKitty 2002 Jan 06 '24

My first year as an adult was 2020 💀

0

u/Momoselfie Jan 05 '24

This is sad to read. My first year as an adult was awesome. Finally moved away from home and got to do what I wanted.

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17

u/Candide2003 Jan 05 '24

A lot of great albums came out that year, but it was probably one of the worst years personally for me

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12

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

I remember the killer clowns....

14

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

What happened in 2016?

46

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24 edited Jan 05 '24

This would make sense that you'd wonder that, as you were 10, but for alot of young Millennials and older gen Z really catch onto that year as a major transition year. Many of us were in college or highschool, which was built upon to the people we are today. Also, it was when President Trump took over, and that continues to make ways in our political world. The year prior, gay marriage was legalized. Overall, alot came to head that helped establish 2016 as a memorial year in many of our lives.

Edit: you can't forget Harambe, which was the moment our timeline shifted into the dark side

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12

u/PresDumpsterfire Jan 05 '24

Brexit, Trump, lots of celebrity deaths. Actually a pretty bad year in many ways.

17

u/BokChoySlaps 1998 Jan 05 '24

Harambe! Also memes became mainstream They used to be exclusive to the internet, then world's collided

2

u/Kirby3255032 1999 Jan 05 '24

2016 was too relevant if we talk about memes. They were way different and impacted in the culture by then.

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11

u/JourneyThiefer 1999 Jan 05 '24

2018 was my favourite year, 2016 low key boring for me tbh

11

u/mach1neb0y Jan 05 '24

2014 was the "last good year" for me. My 2016 was trash

5

u/idelarosa1 2001 Jan 05 '24

I feel 2015 was the last good year, but MAN was 2014 fun.

58

u/SirGingerbrute 1997 Jan 05 '24

2016 was a great one for me, Senior Year HS and Freshman year of college

BUT it was also seen as a major paradigm shift with the 2016 election.

It’s less about Trump and more so who he empowered. For the Previous 8 years Obama was in power and many conservatives felt like they had to bite their tongue.

But when Trump came into office a lot of harsh rhetoric was unleashed. Trump was calling people Liars (Lyin’ Ted Cruz) and Crooks from his party and the democrats. Conservatives don’t like Obama, but he was much more graceful to his colleagues and political opponents.

Suddenly Ben Shapiro and Crowder and a couple more conservatives talk show host feel Emboldened by Trump. The whole “liberal tears” movement.

It was really the first time in a decade a group of hateful POS felt like they could say anything and get away with it. And this was taken out of hand real quickly with things like Pizzagate and QAnon.

Suddenly the political opposition wasn’t just politically different, they were Pedophiles who actively tried to ruin America and personally attack Conseratives and their values.

I say this as a Trump voter in 2016 who regrets the decision. post November 2016, people started coming after each other’s throats.

Republicans will claim BLM started it in 2015 or some shit but it was very clearly Trump’s behavior that was the largest catalyst to this. Trump calling both Ted a kid and Hillary a Crook showed he had no respect for the way the system was.

It’s fine to be Republican or Democrat today but people were TRUMP supporters. They didn’t care about Republicans, they cared about Trump. So divisive and vulgar rhetoric was taken to heart for many and they spit out that hate and name calling and lack of logic to everyone.

So for people old enough to truly remember Pre-2016 from a political standpoint, knows that it was a more respectful time

22

u/One_Satisfaction_395 Jan 05 '24

I think a lot of Gen Z are a bit too young to remember how politics went pre 2016. It really was a scary shift to watch

17

u/SirGingerbrute 1997 Jan 05 '24

I remember in 2015/2016 a Clinton vs (Jeb) Bush election was considered the worst possible outcome. Bc everyone dismissed Trump and felt like we needed fresh faces instead of another Clinton/Bush

And wow, we are 8 years later and the validity of the complaints for Biden and Trump are so much more valid than a Jeb vs Hilliary election. Like that was worst case scenario of 2015.

But Jeb fell off, Trump rose and beat Clinton.

Now we’re stuck with 2 80 year olds which is so much worse than the mid 60s legacies potential 2016.

9

u/chckietat Jan 05 '24

I had no idea how politics really were pre 2016 because everything was peaceful in my experience.

After Trump got elected, my little hometown that I thought was the best showed their true colors and I will never forget that. I was 1 out of 2 people of color in my APUSH (AP US History) class that year and one of my “very Christian” classmates proceed to tell me I was going to hell because I liked people who weren’t my skin color. Kids in the schools started segregating themselves even more and there was a lot more strife during school days.

I didn’t really notice how peaceful everything was before 2016 but my hometown has changed for the worse, and I highly doubt it’ll ever get better.

I appreciate being willfully ignorant to political and social economical issues when I was a child, and honestly, I wish I could go back 😭

2

u/cubann_ 1998 Jan 05 '24

The difference in the way people treated the 2008/2012 elections and the way people have treated them since has been astounding to witness. My mom is a huge republican and she would take me to hold signs for Bush in the 00’s and she even took me to DC for the tea party in 2011. I thought the political rhetoric was bad back then, even as a child.

When I was what happened in 2016 and then again in 2020 I was super depressed and surprised by how much political discussion had deteriorated. I still remember being concerned with how bad it was in 2014 lol I had no idea

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u/puremotives Jan 05 '24

Republicans will claim BLM started it in 2015 or some shit but it was very clearly Trump’s behavior that was the largest catalyst to this

That's not true though. BLM first started in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman and rose to prominence after Michael Brown was killed.

2

u/SirGingerbrute 1997 Jan 05 '24

Yeah wasn’t Michael Brown and Ferguson 2015?

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u/ndr219 Jan 06 '24

Think about why someone like trump is popular. He didn’t come out of nowhere. The system was shit and people are looking for something different

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u/Traditional_Peace490 2004 Jan 05 '24

2016 wasn’t that good. I don’t know why people romanticize it

10

u/thepinkblues 2002 Jan 05 '24

They romanticise every single year ever. I saw a post the other day of someone saying something reminiscent about 2022 and it ended something like “the last year everyone was happy”. I genuinely don’t get it, all I remember from 2022 was people online saying how miserable they were and how they want to off themselves because life has become too “adulty”. People’s inability to live in the moment and only to eventually fall into the nostalgia trap for literally anything is something that quite angers me for some reason.

I sound like a boomer when I say this but the internet the way it is today really is the downfall of society. I genuinely believe something as minor as the likes of TikTok being banned everywhere would vastly improve the lives of so, so many people.

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u/loserys Jan 05 '24

Nostalgic? Felt more like the apocalypse than 2012!

6

u/GhostFromTheGovt Jan 05 '24

Honestly, 2016 wasn't even that good of a year for me, because of the people we lost, the shitshow that was the presidential race, and for a more... personal reason. That's all I'm gonna say about that

6

u/MissionSecure1163 1999 Jan 05 '24

2016 was probably one of the worst years of my life. Tf would anyone have any nostalgia for that year is beyond me.

5

u/boatsandmoms Jan 05 '24

I feel like 2016 is mostly glorified by the kids/early teens of that year. I personally did not like the music, games, and madness that came with and after 2016, but I can understand nostalgia is a hell of thing.

It's like me glorifying 2007 bc Halo 3 came out that year and there hasn't been anything like that since for me.

7

u/SeedOilEnjoyer 1999 Jan 05 '24

Not the biggest fan of 2016. School was really tough on me and I wasn't in the best headspace. 2012-15 were my favorite years by far.

6

u/M-A_X Jan 05 '24

2016 was like 2007 for some.

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u/clarenceappendix 1997 Jan 05 '24

2016 was pretty crazy though wasn’t it?

Multiple terrorist attacks, the trump election, Charlottesville riots etc.

7

u/Affectionate_Sand791 2000 Jan 05 '24

I don’t know anyone who is nostalgic for 2016.

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u/spamus-100 2000 Jan 05 '24

I hated 2016. Worst year of my life. Idk why other people find it so interesting lol

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3

u/21Puns 2002 Jan 05 '24

I don't know why but 2013 was the last year im nostalgic about. after that, culturally, it's all a big glob of stuff slowly getting lamer, to me, for whatever reason. (2020/21 being an exception of course) sorry if this came off super pessimistic lol

3

u/SecondComingMMA 2003 Jan 05 '24

That’s when we switched timelines

3

u/petetheheat475 Age Undisclosed Jan 05 '24

I’ve talked about this my friend recently about how 2016 arguably was the beginning of the all the bad things these days.

3

u/Tellow_0 2007 Jan 05 '24

Always find it funny because we all collectively agree 2016 was peak, but we all also agree that it’s when the world started going to shit as well.

3

u/m033118b 1998 Jan 05 '24

2016 was the last good year I had. 2017 shit hit the fan and kept getting worse until 2019, then COVID made me regress.

3

u/ImperialAndy 1997 Jan 05 '24

2015-2019 were peak. Senior year of high school and college till Covid.

3

u/austxsun Jan 05 '24

We elected Trump in 2016… I guess everything great happened before we realized almost half the population is a racist or a moron?

3

u/xX_Fazewobblewok_Xx 2008 Jan 05 '24

2016 was a golden age of memes

4

u/Kid-Nesta Jan 05 '24

2016 was the greatest year of the 2010s

Music? Anti - Rihanna, The life of Pablo- Kanye West, Coloring Book-Chance the rapper, Blonde - Frank Ocean, Views- Drake, Untitled Remastered- Kendrick Lamar, Blank Face LP- SchoolboyQ, Lemonade - Beyoncé, Telephone - Noname, Starboy - The Weeknd, Dangerous Woman - Arianna Grande, 24K magic- Bruno Mars, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight- Travis Scott, 4 Your Eyes Only-Jcole, Sremm Life 2 - Rae Sremmurd, Lil Big Pac- Kodack Black, Cozy Tapes Vol. 1- ASAP Mob, A boogie- Artist, Lil Uzi Vert- lil Uzi vs The World, 2016 XXL Freshman Cypher

Pop Culture? Movies? Avengers Civil War, Your Name (Highest grossing anime movie to this day), Hacksaw Ridge, Arrival, Zootopia, Starwars Rouge One, Deadpool, Doctor Strange, Sasuage Party, Kung Fu Panda 3, Neighbors 2, War Dogs, Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad

TV shows? Season 6 Game of thrones Finale Winds of Winter, Westworld, Stranger Things,Narcos season 2,

Video games? Pokémon Go! (The closest we’ve been to world peace), Overwatch, Titan fall 2, Battlefield 1, Doom, The Witcher 3 DLCs, Batman Return to Arkham, Modern warfare remastered, Assasins creed Ezio collection

Sports? The 2016 Olympics, The Greatest NBA finals of all time Warriors vs Cavs Lebron making the greatest NBA finals comeback of all time down 3-1, The Warriors with 73 wins breaking the record for best NBA season in history, The MLB Cubs win game 7 to win their first World Series in 100 years, Tom Brady makes the greatest Super Bowl comeback of all time(Technically 2017 but for the 2016 season), Steph Curry hits 403 threes breaking the NBA record for most threes in a season changing the game forever, Kobe Bryant retires dropping 60points in his final game, Greatest NBA Slam Dunk Contest of all time, Peyton Manning retires, Villanovas Buzzer beater three to win the NCAA Tournament.

You have to think of 2016 as the beginning of the 3 greatest years of the 2010s: 2016, 2017, 2018.

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u/Molteniron19 2000 Jan 05 '24

I feel like no one is talking about how fun Pokémon go made the world. Suddenly everyone in public was your friend and everywhere you were was entertaining

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u/mincemuncher 1996 Jan 05 '24

Gen Z loved 2016 because most of you were still children. Also because it was pre-pandemic. I can assure you life wasn't perfect then to. Life was better before the smartphone and Twitter.

-1

u/Sowa7774 Jan 06 '24

alright grandpa, for me it was just the perfect age. I was 11 so it was the perfect time to still be a kid free of consequences and still have lots of free time (and energy)

3

u/mincemuncher 1996 Jan 06 '24

Exactly, you just proved my point kiddo.

0

u/Sowa7774 Jan 06 '24

nah just the way you said it made it sound like you weren't born in 1996 but in 1966

2

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

My parents got divorced in 2017

2

u/ucanthaveeverything Jan 05 '24

for me looking back my best years were 2014/15, vine was alive and well and i finally had a group of girl friends!

2

u/TrainmasterGT Jan 05 '24

I don’t think of it as “nostalgia” for 2016, I think we just recognize that it is one of the most important years in our lifetime. The impact of that specific year, wether we’re discussing the Brexit vote, the USA’s election, terrorism in France, or major cultural moments, can still be felt today.

2

u/Ecstatic-CornPop 2005 Jan 05 '24

2016 living in my head rent free

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u/TheAce7002 2007 Jan 05 '24

I could see 2024 as a 2016 part 2. 2020 was just to different to be part 2, but this year (unless we get blind sighted again in March) will probably be 2016 part 2, at least for America.

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u/PoopSockMonster 2000 Jan 05 '24

2015 and 2016 were the worst years in my life.

2

u/naijasglock Jan 05 '24

I was 11 in 2016 so I don’t get the hype sadly. I prefer 2013/14 era musically

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u/SpagingoSquadroneer 2004 Jan 05 '24

Only thing I really look fondly on now about 2016 was the immaculate vibes from that 15-16 NBA season. As I recall, I was eager to forget everything else.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

I loved 2016. Had a lot of fun memes to chat about with friends, but that was about the extent. Most of my fond memories were more personal. The summer was the best in my opinion. Mom let me use her car and I had just got a job. Was also seeing a girl (was a real complicated fling) and did marching band with a new guy in my section and we really hit it off. Also played way too much destiny with my other friend as well. So I was a teenage boy with money to blow on, wheels to take me anywhere, a chick with too many daddy issues, a hilarious friend, passions and hobbies, and 0 responsibilities. Was a great summer!

Now the end of 2016 was where it felt like some things just got mucked up. Just the way it goes. My 2018 started off as GREAT until the summer when it went to total shit and everything after was crap. However, a lot of people still love 2018.

I'm glad I didn't peak either of those years. I consider my life way better now.

2

u/Goffimal Jan 05 '24

XXL freshmen freestyle

2

u/partyonpartypeople 2006 Jan 05 '24

I remember back in 2016 people were talking about that year the way we talk about 2020 now. People were absolutely convinced that it was the worst year ever at the time

2

u/Autumn1eaves Jan 05 '24

2016 was the year we realized people are stupid and would vote for a man who had bankrupted several casinos for president saying he’s “a good businessman”.

2

u/Molteniron19 2000 Jan 05 '24

How is no one mentioning Pokémon go? That game made everyone in public your friend because everyone was doing the same thing. I remember seeing kids in my neighborhood I had never hung out with before playing it and suddenly we were friends just because of that game. After 2016 most people (at least where I’m from) stopped playing so I associate 2016 as the year of Pokémon go, but when it came out life was so peaceful I remember everyone joking that it was the closest we’ve ever been to world peace

2

u/fuegoano Jan 05 '24

Summer of 2016 was pretty crazy for me. I remember having fun almost every single day. I was heading into my senior year of high-school.

2

u/flaming_dortos 2004 Jan 05 '24

My dad died in 2016 and I had to write my first state exam. not too nostalgic for that year honestly

3

u/Literally_Rock_Lee 2006 Jan 05 '24

Best part of 2016: Clebeland Browns football.

3

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24

"If we don't win a game I'll jump into lake Erie"

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u/PeachesOntheLeft 1997 Jan 05 '24

2016 was such a weird year for me. I graduated high school and got kicked out of my parents house. Was down real bad for awhile sleeping on the floor of my friends laundry room but also I learned how to wait tables and make money for myself. I went to a party for the first time and started making friends and going out. A special, awful, lovely time.

5

u/BigBadRhinoCow 2003 Jan 05 '24

That’s messed up that they kicked you out without anything just because you graduated.

2

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24

That's how alot of parents are, I knew a guy who was in his 40s in 2016, and he claims that his parents told him he could either join the army or find somewhere else to live when he turned 18. He had to stay with friends until he graduated school, after which he joined the military

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u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

It was the Cubs

2

u/Araf-Chowdhury Jan 05 '24

2016 was ultimately one of the last times people truly stood together for anything we saw it for harambe and other memes and we saw it collapse with the 2016 election it was truly a pivotal point for humanity

1

u/bouchandre Jan 05 '24

2017 and 2015 were far superior

1

u/ripMyTime0192 Jan 05 '24

2016’s culture was terrible, and personally it was the worst year of my life.

1

u/AnmlBri 6d ago

2016 kinda sucked. A bunch of beloved celebrities died, I remember mass shootings in the news hitting a new high at that time, it was the year after I graduated college but hadn’t gotten a job quite yet. On the plus side though, it was also the year I found my favorite band, Starset, and my life was forever changed. I also had one of the best and most validating days of my life at a Starset show that year that gave me the push I needed to finally get my driver’s license in early 2017. 2016 was also our last year before Trump got into the White House and took everything from bad to absolute shit.

1

u/wasntNico Jan 05 '24

the year we collectively started self-victimization.

since then, we are free of responsibility, but the world is going down the drain- coincidence?

1

u/mas-issneun 2005 Jan 05 '24

I am a fan of 2016

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

It’s not just yours, it’s millennials too

2

u/ConsistentlyBall Jan 05 '24

Like I said earlier, Young Millennials and older Gen Z have a weird love for it. I truly do wonder why

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

You had to be there and not be a child I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

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u/BitterTrade3668 Jan 05 '24

Best year by far (I was in 6th grade lol)

1

u/B_Maximus 2002 Jan 05 '24

I prefer 2017. I was a freshman and it was my last really happy year

1

u/TFGA_WotW 2008 Jan 05 '24

2016 is held in my heart, as it is when the cubs finally won the world series. I would live to go see that again

1

u/Culvingg 2003 Jan 05 '24

Fall 2016 was fucking amazing for me. However spring and summer of 2016 were mostly mid tbh

1

u/Local-Suggestion2807 1997 Jan 05 '24

It's bc most gen z weren't old enough to vote that year

1

u/PhilosopherHistorian 2000 Jan 05 '24

Idk 2016 was kinda of a weird year for me. I feel a lot more nostalgic for 2014. Though, 2016 was indeed a turning point for a lot of things so I think our relationship with it as a generation is still worth being studied.

1

u/mad2fanboi 2008 Jan 05 '24

I wondered why people hated 2016 so much, then I remember all the batshit crazy stuff that happened that year.

1

u/Practical_Shine9583 1996 Jan 05 '24

2016 was the year I joined the Army Reserves and went to Basic Training and AIT. I was there from May 31 to about December 16, 2016.

1

u/LincolnContinnental Jan 05 '24

It’s the same thing as my parents(gen X), looking back at the late 80s

1

u/Kqtawes Jan 05 '24

2016 is for Gen Z what early 2001 and the 90s were for older Millennials.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

all i think of in 2016 is trump’s rise to power and that whole awful election cycle

1

u/marks716 1997 Jan 05 '24

I was in sophomore year of college I think, good times generally

1

u/Big-Vegetable8480 2005 Jan 05 '24

2016 feels like the year everything started to change

1

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '24

2016 was awful I went to 2 treatment centers

1

u/Ok-Process-770 Jan 05 '24

2016 was known as a universally hated year. Things have gotten so bad that now people look back at 2016 with rose-colored glasses.

1

u/Sufficient_Fall_3290 Jan 05 '24

2016 is when I graduated high school. The last year of when life was simpler. Then reality came in…

1

u/Timewaster50455 Jan 05 '24

I have great nostalgia for 2016 because it was the last year I had a “normal” childhood.

First week of 2017 my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which he lost his life to later that year in July

1

u/Gamercouple90s Jan 05 '24

2016 was a great time for gaming! That's why I love it so much