Woman’s Theory Why Talking to Other Millennials Is ‘Exhausting’ Goes Viral

A woman has shared her frustrations about speaking to fellow millennials who aren’t au fait with social media culture—and it’s a hard relate for TikTok users.

In the clip, @thecringeymillenial describes a workplace situation that highlights a growing cultural divide between those now aged 28 and 43.

“As a millennial who is chronically online, it is so exhausting to talk to other millennials who are not on social media or not up to date with trends or only have a Facebook because they literally never know what I’m talking about,” she said in the clip.

She recounted a conversation with a co-worker who requested that she look at a PowerPoint presentation.

The TikToker referenced the popular “Show it to me, Rachel” meme. The colleague, seemingly confused, asked, “What are you talking about? That’s not my name.”

“It’s like talking to somebody in another generation. I don’t know how to communicate with these people,” she said in her clip.

Since it was posted on July 13, her video has received over 869,000 views and thousands of comments, many of them from fellow millennials.

“This is why I can’t find my people. No one I socialize with has even heard of Chappell Roan? How?!!” one frustrated user commented.

“I had to explain what an almond mom was to my millennial flat mates last night and it was painful,” another person wrote.

While some millennials immerse themselves in internet culture, memes and social media trends, others of the same generation can feel like they speak a different language whenever a popular meme is embedded into conversation.

Newsweek spoke to trends expert and keynote speaker Daniel Levine about this cultural rift within the millennial generation.

“Generations can be thought of as tribes, linked by a common culture and dialect. In this context, a peer who doesn’t share your lingo—verbally or socially—doesn’t feel like part of the same group,” Levine told Newsweek.

The pressure to stay current with trends is more than just a desire to fit in; it’s a way to maintain social connections.

Levine said social media is the most immediate conduit for meme culture and flash fads: “The world is changing faster than ever, which means it’s harder than ever to stay on top of trends. It can feel exhausting for many people.”

Concerning the TikTok post, Levine also pointed out that as a fellow millennial, he understands from her use of “cringey millennial” in her username she could mean that she’s being cheeky and doesn’t take herself too seriously.

One TikTok user said plainly: “TikTok millennials and Facebook millennials are two different generations.”

Levine acknowledged the dynamic and told Newsweek: “Being chronically online makes many people feel like they are insider-ish. But it can also lead to an elite kind of smugness for being in the know.”