Unpacking Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything by Colette Shade
Ah, the 2000s. A time of flip phones, questionable fashion choices, and an impending apocalypse that had many of us convinced we’d be facing down robots by the dawn of the new millennium. When I stumbled upon Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything by Colette Shade, I was genuinely intrigued. Here was a collection of essays that promised to dissect this notorious era, starting from the late ’90s and culminating in 2008—a time that, to me, often felt more chaotic than hopeful. As someone who grew up in a similar time and space, I couldn’t resist the urge to dive into Shade’s reflections, ready to challenge her perspective against my own memories.
From the outset, Shade describes the Y2K era as "wildly hopeful," a notion that had me shaking my head in disbelief. With my own experiences shaped by a father who seriously believed in doomsday prepping, I found it jarring to read her interpretations. The national mood during this time, detailed through a Pew Research/PBS survey, shows a stark disillusionment—roughly half the population was skeptical about the future. My own childhood was filled with fears and uncertainties rather than the vibrant hope she often projects. This dissonance made me question the author’s grasp on the period, and whether her experiences, tinted by privilege, truly reflected the broader societal landscape. Did I miss the memo that everyone was cheerfully crafting their future while I hid in a corner during pep rallies?
The writing itself has a light, conversational tone that aims for humor, but I struggled to fully appreciate it. Perhaps it’s a sign of my own cynicism, but many of her jokes felt flat or missed the mark. I found myself desperately reading passages aloud to family members, trying to mine humor from them. The attempts at levity often felt like they stemmed from an entitled bubble rather than genuine wit. In a time when the dots were being connected between personal struggles and cultural contexts, Shade’s observations never quite crossed that bridge for me, leaving a sense of longing for depth.
One notable flash of connection came when she shared anecdotes about her upbringing—little nuggets that sparkled with authenticity, such as the awkward dynamics of sex ed classes or her family’s chain emails. Those moments were more relatable, capturing the nuances that made that decade memorable. Yet, these glimpses into the marrow of her life made the rest of her musings feel all the more muddled, as if they aimed to stretch beyond her lived experience.
Moreover, the comparison to writers like Jia Tolentino came off as overly ambitious. Tolentino effortlessly melds her personal narrative with sharp cultural critiques, while Shade sometimes felt like she was trying to traverse that same terrain without a clear map. More disconcerting were moments that seemed derivative, echoing experiences and ideas well-trodden by others, leaving me to wonder about her own originality. Perhaps some essays were reverse-engineered to meet publishing demands, given the imprint’s penchant for celebrity memoirs and pop culture—creating a feeling of philosophical inadequacy rather than a revelation.
In the end, Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything could find its audience among those who enjoyed the echoes of nostalgia or seek a lighter take on a tumultuous decade. However, I find myself longing for a richer narrative—one that dives deeper into the margins of that era and resonates with a broader spectrum of lived experiences. Shade’s journey is one of privilege wrapped in uncertainty, and while she may have gleaned some insights, they are overshadowed by the echoes of those who lived through the complexities few have captured adequately.
So, would I recommend it? Well, only if you’re looking for light reading that touches on familiar themes without fully unpacking them. Next time, I hope to find a book that better examines the chaos and creativity of the Y2K years—because that story deserves telling.
Discover more about Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything on GoodReads >>
