We were interested in how Jackson sees millennials, as well as what sets them apart from other generations. "At the core of being a true millennial lies a delicate balance between existential dread and artisanal joy," the creator of 'Millennial Misery' told Bored Panda in an email.
"We’re the generation that will spiral into a quarter-life crisis, then soothe ourselves with a $7 oat milk latte and a weighted blanket," she said.
"We survived dial-up internet, watched the rise and fall of MySpace, and still mourn the loss of Vine like it was a national tragedy."
According to Jackson, what sets millennials apart is their "uncanny ability to turn any life event into a meme," alongside their "deep emotional connection to Harry Potter despite being full-grown adults."
She added that something else that's unique about Gen Y is their "commitment to using avocado as both a food group and a personality trait."
"We invented the phrase 'I can’t even' and truly, sometimes—we just can’t. Also, we may not own homes, but by god, our houseplants are thriving."
Bored Panda was also curious to get Jackson's thoughts on how content creators can stand out from the crowd on social media.
"The memes that stand out are the ones that hit you right in the oddly specific feels. I’m talking about the ones that make you laugh, then immediately spiral into an identity crisis like, 'Wait… how does this stranger on the internet know I still think about that cringey thing I said in 2009?' We really all lived the same lives..." she said.
From her perspective, the "magic formula" for truly great content is combining nostalgia with absurd relatability and unhinged timing.
"Also, if a meme makes me actually LOL while questioning my life choices and also craving Dunkaroos? You win."
Millennials fundamentally have a close relationship with technology. Born between 1981 and 1996, the members of Generation Y (aka Gen Y) are the first to be born into a truly digital world.
Investopedia notes that they’re digital natives, as tech has been a part of their everyday lives. Just one example is the fact that millennials check their phones an estimated 150 times a day.
Some researchers argue that millennials should be defined to include people born in 1980 or even 2004. But most commonly, anyone born before 1981 is labeled as Generation X (Gen X), while those born after 1996 are part of Generation Z (Gen Z, whose members are colloquially called Zoomers).
Those born right on the cusp between Gen Y and Gen Z are sometimes referred to as millennials, and they might sometimes find it hard to tell which generation they truly belong to.
Investopedia notes that millennials are typically more progressive and less religious. In the US, they are the biggest generation in terms of numbers. Unfortunately, due to the wealth gap, members of Gen Y start off with less household income.
Millennials are also burdened by huge amounts of student loan debt. The upside? They are incredibly energetic, typically follow their career or leisure ambitions, and embrace travel.
According to Statista, millennials are “quickly becoming the world’s most active group of consumers.” Naturally, this means that lots of companies focus their marketing campaigns and the media they produce to target Gen Y. Broadly speaking, millennials are major consumers of tech products, especially smartphones, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles.
As more members of Gen Y continue working their way up their career ladder, they become an ever more important part of the economy.
‘Millennial Misery’ first found its way on Instagram in mid-2021. In the several years since it was created, the account has grown by leaps and bounds.
Currently, a whopping 1.7 million people follow it on social networks for the freshest content. Though the memes are geared mainly toward millennials, aka Generation Y (hi!), everyone can enjoy the nostalgia and humor.
The ‘Millennial Misery’ account is part of a wider network run by the founder of the project, Jamie Jackson—aka the Chief Meme Officer. She also runs the popular Humorous Resources account and has recently created Parody Parenting, too.
“My goal is to create a safe place for work professionals to commiserate about their corporate lives, millennials to submerge themselves in nostalgia, and HR professionals to escape from the ridiculousness of HR,” Jackson writes on her website.
