TLDRThis CNN article explores why people in 2026 are nostalgic for 2016, a year marked by significant events and cultural trends. Celebrities and the general public are sharing fond memories from 2016, a time of face 'baking' and #ImWithHer, when major national dramas involved Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift. The article delves into how the polarized political climate and the rise of social media have contributed to the nostalgia for a perceived simpler, more unified time.

Source: CNN January 18, 2026 15:03 UTC