Growing Up Millennial: Charlie Wells on What Shaped a Generation

Journalist Charlie Wells is a Millennial — and by now, something of an expert on the Millennial generation, too. In his debut book, What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation, he shares the stories of five people whose lives reveal what it’s really been like to grow up Millennial — through the early optimism, the crises that shaped us, and all the change we’ve weathered along the way.

"We're adults and we've overcome a lot of obstacles as this group of people. It's okay to celebrate that."

Hear Charlie talk about:

• Why he wanted to explore what it’s really been like to grow up as a Millennial
• How he chose the five people whose lives he shares in the book
• How major moments like 9/11 and the rise of the internet shaped Millennial identity
• The nostalgia objects — from Tamagotchis to AIM screen names — that connect us across divides
• Why he feels proud of Millennials, and what he hopes we carry forward into the next chapter of adulthood

Mentioned in this episode:

• What Happened to Millennials: In Defense of a Generation by Charlie Wells
• Charlie Wells on Instagram and X (Twitter)

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