Molly

A prediction can be based on research, too, but it can also be an entirely unfounded hot take, like we often see from Tiktok Oracles. That’s why I bristle a bit at its use — I just fear that it devalues the work, similarly to what we’ve seen with the confusion between ‘ trending ’ vs. trend.

My 2026 Macrotrend Report is different from most other ones. It does not include snappy hot takes, mention of “predictions,” consumer data, or cool graphics. It does include a clear methodology and framework, and lots of insight and inspiration.

To bolster our analysis, my research team also conducted a representative survey this year of more than 2,000 adults in the United States. We found that most Gen Z adults — 68 percent — reported feeling nostalgic for eras before their lifetime.

In other words, nostalgia is, counterintuitively, a future-oriented endeavor. We draw on it to resolve our dissatisfactions in the present and to move forward with hope and determination. Yes, nostalgia can be indulged. But for most people, most of the time, it is a stabilizing and energizing force.

Sixty percent of Gen Z adults said that they wished they could return to a time before everyone was “plugged in.”

Most of my research on nostalgia has focused on the sentimental engagement with cherished memories from one’s own life. But people can also feel nostalgic for a past that predates them, which is known as historical nostalgia.

Gen Z continues to mine Y2K and early-aughts aesthetics impossibly hard (Victoria’s Secret, Uggs, Hunter boots), but eventually they’ll run out of millennial trends to resurrect. I’m curious to see if they’ll then reach back to the ‘90s (or even earlier?) or if they’ll start nostalgizing their own pandemic-era experiences.

Self-optimization as status symbols: As you can see from the prevalence of Oura Rings, Hatch alarm clocks, Bala Bangles, self-tanning products, and elaborate skincare routines, Gen Z has internalized wellness culture as identity. These items are all functional, sure, but they also indicate to their peers that they’re the kind of person who “invests... See more

A cringey New Year’s Eve fail warns of what happens “when you believe everything you see on TikTok” (Creators)

A viral TikTok video captured a crowd eagerly awaiting a New Year’s Eve fireworks show near the Brooklyn Bridge, only to realize it was a hoax. The incident sparked a discussion about media literacy and the dangers of believing everything... See more