The Millennial Canon: From AIM to ‘The Office,’ What Defines a Generation?
What truly defines a generation? Is it the technology they grew up with, the entertainment they consumed, or the cultural moments that shaped their worldview? The Ringer recently tackled this question head-on with their Millennial Canon Bracket, a March Madness-style tournament pitting iconic millennial touchstones against each other. The results are in, and they're sparking debate and nostalgia across the internet.
The bracket started with a Sweet Sixteen featuring everything from skinny jeans to the Obama “Hope” poster, and quickly narrowed down to the Elite Eight. Some matchups were nail-bitingly close, like Anchorman vs. T9 texting and the iPod wheel vs. LimeWire. In the end, however, four emerged victorious, three of them being top-ranked contenders.
The Final Four consisted of: AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, the Obama “Hope” poster, and, surprisingly, “The Office.” The Office, a 7-seed, surged through the competition, defeating millennial giants like Netflix and Chill, Harry Potter fandom, and even skinny jeans. As Brian Phillips eloquently put it, the show captured a generation feeling “trapped in dead-end jobs, towns, and relationships” and clinging to individual dreams.
Meanwhile, AIM, a 1-seed, represented the dawn of social media, a time of squeaky door notifications and the anticipation of chatting with your crush. “Wuz up,” anyone?
On the other side of the bracket, “Mr. Brightside,” a karaoke staple and generational anthem, went head-to-head with the Obama “Hope” poster, a symbol of optimism and change that defined the late aughts. The poster, as Aric Jenkins noted, marked a time of “Facebook without your parents on it, early mixtape-era Drake, and Tom Brady being thwarted by the Giants.”
Ultimately, the tournament highlights not just the things millennials experienced, but the feelings and emotions associated with them. It's a reminder of a time before ubiquitous smartphones, when dial-up internet reigned supreme and AIM screen names were a form of self-expression.
So, what do YOU think? Does this bracket accurately represent the Millennial Canon? Which item or cultural moment resonates most with you? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!