The second decade of the 21st century, lasting between
2010 and
2019.
There were certainly a lot of problems with this
era (specifically its latter half), particularly regarding political divisiveness and the oversaturation of "pop
politics" in general. However, while these issues could rarely be totally avoided, at the end of the
day they were easy to distract yourself from if you prioritized living your life.
By contrast, the 2020s thus far have been characterized by a global pandemic and its effects on our lives. Unlike the issues found in the 2010s, these ones are nearly
impossible to avoid due to the fact that most of the resources we utilized in the 2010s to live our lives either ended temporarily or permanently, or became associated with danger and recklessness.
While the 2010s were a highly imperfect decade, they were very liveable and generally had more positives than negatives, especially compared with the 2020s so far. As such, the 2010s will for a long
time be seen as the last decade of comfort and normalcy.
Back in the
2010s I could go to restaurants, events, etc. to make myself feel better if life got too overwhelming. In
2020 most of these resources didn't exist, and
even now they are less accessible and less associated with relaxation than they were in the 2010s.