The I was born in the right generation meme features a photo of actor Ryan Gosling below an overlaid catchphrase reading, "I was born in the right generation I love Twitter and ___. The second part of the text references fan-favorite TV shows.
The meme flips nostalgia on its head, turning it into a tongue-in-cheek celebration of people's favorite comfort shows. Whether it's a logo swap or a shoutout to Tumblr-core internet culture, the meme invites users to proudly declare their love for whatever TV era they came upon, with varying levels of irony.
Meme basics
- Meme/trend creator: @housemdcore on Instagram, most likely edited for X by @teacupssandtime
- Meme type: The most common are Image macro, exploitable meme, catchphrase
- First appearance: April 1, 2025
- Origin source: Instagram
- Used to convey: A humorous take on the "I was born in the wrong generation" phrase while showing off the user’s favorite TV show
- Peak popularity: December 2009, with a resurgence in late 2024
I was born in the right generation meme template:
How a House fan accidentally revived 2010s culture
This is not the first time a meme format with the phrase "I was born in the right generation" went viral. Another version of the meme was, "I was born in the right generation, I love da internet and" with a second thing the person loved. That meme was first posted on June 29, 2023, by @epicgamergirl562 on Instagram.
This latest version of the meme was originally posted by @housemdcore on Instagram. However, the viral version of the original meme is modified. In the original version, the Instagram account posted a series of the same image. On them, they wrote, "I was born in the right generation I love ChatGPT and" along with TV show logos.
The majority of folks in the comments disagreed with ChatGPT being included in the meme format but otherwise agreed. Some asked where their favorite TV show was, because it wasn't included.
The version that spread on X, formerly Twitter, covered up ChatGPT and replaced it with the old Twitter logo. One of the earliest posts with this version of the meme was by @teacupssandtime. From there, it spread as folks quote-retweeted each other, sharing their own favorite movies and TV shows.
The Ryan Gosling meme romanticizing screen time
On April 6, 2025, @teacupssandtime posted the edited version of the meme on X. Users ran with it, sharing everything from RuPaul’s Drag Race to Challengers as people shared their love for classics and new fandoms alike. The bulk of the posts on X ranged from April 8 to 10, 2025, but more posts are still coming out featuring this meme.
Memes such as “I was born in the right generation” are easily exploitable with a low barrier to joining the trend. All someone needs is a photo editing app and the logo of their favorite show, and they can participate.
More 'I was born in the right generation I love Twitter and watching...' memes:
Meme variations
The viral version of the meme replaced ChatGPT with Twitter. Another version of the meme includes replacing the old Twitter logo with the popular fanfiction website Archive of Our Own.
Due to popular requests, @housemdcore also added different versions of the meme with ChatGPT replaced by other things like "medical malpractice" to their alternate account.
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