Gen Xer explains sense of 'impending doom' that seems to define the Millennial generation
Somebody finally put it into words and a lot of Millenials are feeling seen.

A woman looks to the ground in dispair.
At the end of his YouTube video “Does Anyone Else Feel Like Everything Has Changed?” self-development influencer Stephen Antonioni makes a rather haunting observation: "In many ways, the world is a better place than it was yesterday, just judging by objective measures. But I can't help share the feeling that something is off and perhaps terribly so. And therefore, I have to ask the question: Does anyone else feel like everything has changed?"
The most popular comment on the video, which was liked over 28,000 times was written by a YouTuber named Tracy Smith. Even though, at 57, she’s a Gen Xer, her thoughts have resonated with thousands of Millenials.
“I am 57. Not only does it feel like ‘something wicked this way comes’ but there is also this feeling that the whole world is holding its breath. Almost as though we are all waiting for some catalyst or sign or event that puts an end to this feeling of being put on hold,” Smith wrote. “This vague, unexplained unease we feel. Something terrible lurking just out of our field of vision but we all feel it closing in. I cannot count the number of people who have told me they wish that whatever is going to happen would just get on with it. That this waiting for the thing in the darkness is unbearable.”
The comment was shared on Reddit’s Millenials subforum, where many said it perfectly expressed how they feel about the future.
"I have never had someone put into words so accurately a feeling I didn't even realize I was having. I am wondering if any of you feel this way? Like, I realized for the last few years I have been feeling like this. I don't always think about it, but if I stop and think about this this feeling is always there in the background," RedHeadRedeemed wrote.
"The current socioeconomic situation in the US is unsustainable. Something is going to give, and relatively soon," NCRaineman replied. "I turned 21 and graduated college right around 9/11,” Seasonpositive6771 wrote. “My entire adult life has been a sense that the world is untrustworthy and unsafe to a certain degree."
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, have lived through a unique set of circumstances. Most were children when 9-11 happened, and many were just starting out as adults when the Great Recession hit. Once the world recovered from that financial catastrophe came the politically turbulent late ‘10s and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Millennials have also experienced a technological revolution with the advent of the Internet, social media, and smartphones and have lived under the specter of climate change.
The world can also seem more dangerous to Millenials because they’ve lived in an era where fear-mongering on the news and social media is rampant and can easily present a very skewed version of the world.
Even though the years that Millenials have been alive are among the safest in American history, it’s hard to feel that way when we are exposed to so many disturbing images in the media.
Even though many Millenials look towards the future with a sense of dread, for some perspective, previous generations have had it much worse.
"Relocate to 1915 and see how the punches can keep coming for real. Try WWI where daddy is killed or f**ked up in combat when you are a child. Then the depression beginning in’ 29 then WWII takes your kid. No wonder previous generations are rough they got it honest and did what they could to not ever be broke again. They did not comprehend the damage they were doing. They had been through hell and just wanted to be ok like everyone else," InfamousOccasion wrote.
One of the commenters noted that this feeling of dread may stem from a form of collective PTSD caused by the pandemic. The American Psychological Association agrees, saying people are still healing from the 3-year ordeal that killed millions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic created a collective experience among Americans. While the early-pandemic lockdowns may seem like the distant past, the aftermath remains,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s chief executive officer. “We cannot ignore the fact that we have been significantly changed by the loss of more than one million Americans, as well as the shift in our workplaces, school systems, and culture at large. To move toward posttraumatic growth, we must first identify and understand the psychological wounds that remain,” said Evans.
If the first step in recovering from the pandemic is recognizing the remaining psychological wounds, understanding Millenials’ sense of “impending doom” could be a key to collective healing.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."