Scrolling through social media recently, many users have experienced a strange time warp back to 2016. A viral TikTok filter named after that year has been used in over 55 million videos, while searches for "2016" have surged by 452 per cent. On Instagram, millennials are sharing photo carousels filled with blurred selfies, heavy contouring, and Snapchat puppy filters, all hallmarks of the era.
The nostalgia extends to pop culture obsessions like Pokémon Go, Taylor Swift's "squad," and the mystery of "Becky with the good hair." Even celebrity drama felt more momentous, such as Swift's brief romance with Tom Hiddleston. However, this romanticised view conveniently overlooks the darker events of 2016.
That year saw the deaths of icons including David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, George Michael, and Carrie Fisher, prompting headlines questioning why so many celebrities were dying. On the world stage, Donald Trump's election and the Brexit referendum reshaped global politics, leading to years of uncertainty and division.
The Oxford English Dictionary named "post-truth" its word of the year, marking the rise of distrust in institutions and social media fakery. While 2016 may seem simpler in retrospect, the filters and throwbacks mask a year that set the stage for much of today's chaos.
