Dear 2010s,
Thank you for being the decade that has fundamentally shaped an entire generation into the young adults that they are becoming.
You've made us jam out. There were the one-hit wonders like "Gangnam Style," "Like a G6," "Teach Me How To Dougie," and "Pants on the Ground." There were the lifelong hits that defined the decade, such as "Born This Way," "Call Me Maybe," "Old Town Road," and "Rolling in the Deep." We saw pop, rock, country, hip-hop, EDM, dubstep, K-pop, and virtually every other genre under the sun fuse together to make songs that will set new precedents for the future generations.
What Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Adele, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish will be to this generation what Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, A-Ha, and Whitney Houston were to the children of the 1980s: the soundtrack of our lives.
You've also made us the master of setting trends with the advent of social media. We puckered our lips with the duck face and even swelled them up with the Kylie Jenner challenge. We cut off circulation to our hands with Silly Bandz and choked on a teaspoon of cinnamon with the Cinnamon Challenge. And of course, who could forget the smorgasbord of memes that you've created in all of these ten glorious years?
And who could forget your impact on pop culture, 2010s? You've reinvigorated Broadway with one seldom talked-about Founding Father. You've brought world-class entertainment in the comfort of our own homes. You've brought new meaning to the word "binge." You've got the ball rolling with the representation long overdue in a pop culture industry that has long neglected people of color.
But, 2010s, what my favorite thing about your legacy is that you've made us politically aware, or as the Cool Kids say, "woke." Though we welcomed you with a political culture filled with hope, you also brought us an alternate culture of fear and despair. You brought out the worst of us, when things, at the very least, sounded hopeful.
But this isn't necessarily to bring shame to you, 2010s. In fact, I don't think that is really a bad thing, the complete opposite, actually. You have also taught us that it is never okay to live in despair and accept the status quo. You taught us to fight for what's right, ending the culture of division and alienation not only in this country but on the global stage.
Not only should we bring about a politics of love but also a politics of addressing hatred with an iron fist.
You've equipped this generation with the mindset and culture that will move mountains. We've been shamed, patronized and even killed into subjugation for challenging the toxic norms that embody our society. But because of you, 2010s, we have the power. We have the energy. And, most of all, we have the solidarity that you have given us as you leave us.
Thank you so much for being the best decade ever.