Why Are We Chasing Nostalgia?

How a new wave of reminiscing has changed a generation

Nostalgia surfaces in each and every one of our hearts. This is no new term in anyone’s lives or the lives that came before us. What was once a bittersweet feeling has now become a lifestyle we are chasing to get back. 

Our social media feeds have taken this same shift and our trends are recycling themselves. We are scavenging to hold on to physical media and maintain traditions. These things remind us of who we are and connect us to another time in our lives.   

So why now? Why is our generation so nostalgic nowadays?

The progression of technology

Today, we are dealing with a constant uphill battle against tech companies and the many advances made in technology today. It all began as a way to make life easier, safer and solve problems faster. But with all of this at our fingertips, it seems as if we have lost the plot. 

Life itself is about the trials and tribulations that come with breathing life into the air. With the amount of technological advancements made, we can reduce physical and cognitive efforts needed to complete a task by simply automating them. Cars can drive themselves; we no longer have to walk into a store to buy products and we can work completely from our homes. Our brains are able to skip all the difficulty, memorization and patience needed day-to-day. Communication itself can be done completely over the phone. But it doesn’t stop there. These companies are releasing new digital systems daily. 

This endless loop of enabling our society with constant advancements in technology is also affecting the planet we live on. It’s a societal issue working its way into each of our lives and allowing the health of our world to fall. This is where nostalgia comes into play. We are now realizing the amount of uncertainty in our future with the constant innovations being made. It is almost clear to say that the last time we ever met this amount of fear around advancements was the global panic of Y2K. So we are bringing that time back to life, where we left all those fears and now look back and realize how good we had it. 

Is nostalgia the new aesthetic?  

It’s odd to say that the new trends are the less-modernized classics but that is the new wave on social media today. In recent developments, people are taking to online spaces to show all of their childhood favorites. Whether it is media, crafts, games or toys, becoming a collector and reminiscing on what everything once was has become all the rage. 

We are coming out of a time where everything was so curated. All of the trends were given their own aesthetic titles like the coastal grandmother and eclectic grandpa trends. We created aesthetics for homes, clothing and even holidays. Now, we are collecting and bringing back items that generations before us had. We are chasing the feeling of what fashion was like in the 1990s and 2000s, how Christmas felt as a child and how our homes were decorated with care. But that’s what nostalgia is all about — reminiscing on what once was a simpler time. 

With the state of our world and its technological advances, this makes sense. Subconsciously, we are wishing for that feeling of optimism. When we had hope, it didn’t feel unsettling when everything felt somewhat still and life was made simpler with less modernization. 

The science behind nostalgia

The feeling of nostalgia is truly one of a kind and an experience that is unique to each person. It is something you wish you could bottle and release when you need it most. So why, during a time of so much advancement, are we so nostalgic? What is the emotion behind that?

According to the University of Florida, “Despite the feelings of longing that certain memories can bring, nostalgia can be very beneficial for the person doing the remembering. It offers the following advantages: Building self-esteem, helping us find meaning, encouraging authenticity and making us happy”. Oddly enough, reminiscing on the past can help us be more optimistic in our future. 

So with all that being said, this new trend of reverting back to old media and hobbies you once had can help make the future feel a little brighter. I believe the place we are in today as a society, with all of its growing changes, reminiscing on simpler times and bringing back those ideals could help turn our world back around. 

My personal favorite throwbacks. 

Physical media will always be number one for me. There is something about a collection of movies, magazines, books, photographs and music that brings me so much joy. I love the feeling of having something of my own outside of the collection of items on my phone or streaming services.

Alongside that is the recent popularity of vintage home and holiday decor. With the misuse of AI in art and branding, so much of what we are seeing in stores has been less handcrafted or even stolen from artists. Instead, it is generated through AI and slapped on a mug. So, to avoid all of that, many of us have taken to thrift stores and hand-me-downs to bring more life into decor. 

Another favorite throwback of mine is analog or craft baskets. Having this beside your bed or carried alongside you on trips is a perfect way to put down your phone and pick up a hobby. Plus, anything homemade will always be the most meaningful gift.

Lastly, sustainable fashion is still on the rise, and I am here for it. After spending lots of time thrifting, I won’t go back. I find the most unique fashion pieces at the thrift store that will never go out of style.

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