I feel like the 2010s are the first decade in 100 years that doesn’t have a recognizable aesthetic or vibe.
Every decade since the Roaring Twenties had its own recognizable culture, visual aesthetic, music and so on. In the 2010s, the Internet allowed us to become cultural omnivores. It’s good that everybody had access to whatever niche subculture they enjoy but it also meant that there was no more monoculture that we all shared.
I have a trailing sense of nostalgia as I age. When I was in my teens, the 90s felt like a distinct time period but the 00s didn’t. In the late 00s and early 10s I had a hard 90s nostalgia phase. As I get older I have that same feeling for the later decades. 00s had a vibe. 10s definitely had a vibe. I am beginning to even think wistfully about the late 10s. 2018 had a vibe for sure.
Also a lot of the ways we define aesthetics of a decade is by consumer products, especially once you get into the 80s, 90s, and beyond. It’s also how we define nostalgia. You don’t just remember being a kid, you remember the old brands and the things those brands sold. That’s kind of a weird way to define the march of history and culture.