This week, Kate dives into the unexpected resurgence of millennial optimism following the 2026 midterms, and the strange experience of watching a generation once mocked for its earnestness, entitlement, and cringe suddenly become a source of nostalgia for Gen Z. From the millennial whoop and the dance-floor exceptionalism of early 2010s pop music to generational tropes and Toms, Kate revisits what made millennials so hopeful during an era when the economy was giving them very little reason to be, like the simultaneous collapse of traditional economic opportunity and explosion of seemingly limitless alternatives. Blogs, startups, Etsy shops, crowdfunding, flash sales, and the promise of cutting out the middleman made the future feel wide open, but the past decade hasn't been anywhere close to what this limited-time offer promised. More importantly, a meditation on what it means to rediscover hope and realize the future can still surprise you. Enjoy!
PRE-ORDER Kate's upcoming book, She's Let Herself Go, out 4/27/27! And, if you haven't picked up her first book, the NYT Bestselling book, One in a Millennial, check it out here!
Text or leave a voicemail for Kate at 775-HEY-BETH!
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