The Assignment with Audie Cornish The Millennial Internet, from Buzzfeed Quizzes to Filming ICE
Jan 29, 2026
Sam Sanders, public radio host known for pop culture and politics, reflects on millennials hitting 30 and internet nostalgia. He explores the shift from playful early social platforms to algorithm-driven surveillance. They discuss how video and phones reshape activism and media, and why online trends cycle between earnestness and cynicism.
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Formative Events Shaped Millennial Identity
- Millennials came of age during defining national events and an early social internet that shaped their political and cultural identity.
- Sam Sanders argues those moments and platforms created a distinct earnestness compared with Gen Z's perpetual online performance.
From Viral Fun To Pervasive Surveillance
- Early social media felt participatory and quaint, making virality seem benign and communal.
- Sanders and Audie note that what felt like harmless surveillance then now looks like pervasive monitoring enabled by algorithms.
Reply-All For Concert Tickets
- Sam Sanders recalls replying-all to an office email about Edward Sharpe tickets during the Tiny Desk era.
- Audie and Sam use the story to evoke peak millennial cultural moments and shared nostalgia.