Playlists with songs by Rihanna and Evanescense, TikToks about fashion from 20 years ago, old-school parties in the style of the 2000s – all these are manifestations of nostalgia. Some are nostalgic for 2007, others for the 80s, but the meaning is the same – people miss the past and try to immerse themselves in its atmosphere, at least for a short time. After all, it seems that then the grass was greener and the world was kinder. We’ll tell you why you shouldn’t give in to nostalgia too much and why we desperately want 2007 back.
What is nostalgia
Today nostalgia called longing for the homeland or the past – the times when everything it seemed better, easier and more fun. The word itself is Greek and consists of two: nostos (“return”) and algos (“pain”). That is, literally, suffering caused by the desire to return somewhere. More nostalgia called “sentimental desire.”
In scientific use the term “nostalgia” entered Swiss physician Johannes Hofer at the end of the 17th century. This is what he called the “disease” of Swiss mercenary soldiers who were homesick away from their homeland. According to Hofer, the reason for this state was “the continuous vibration of the living spirit through those fibers of the midbrain in which traces of the ideas of the Fatherland were still preserved.” He considered obsessive thoughts about home, bouts of crying, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, loss of appetite and insomnia to be symptoms of nostalgia.
Hofer’s theory was agreed upon Not all. Other doctors blamed changes in atmospheric pressure for the mysterious “disease.” Allegedly accustomed to the Alpine peaks, the Swiss were unable to adapt to the plains of Europe. And some even believed that it was all about Alpine cow bells – supposedly their constant ringing damages the eardrums and the brain. As a result, until the end of the 18th century, nostalgia believed neurological disease. And in the 19th century it was attributed to depression and melancholy.
What is nostalgia like?
Today, nostalgia is no longer considered a disease – it is not included in the international ICD classification (even in the latest versions). But psychologists, journalists and researchers are very interested in this phenomenon. Scientific articles are written about nostalgia, it is discussed in podcastsdedicated to her video essay.
Nostalgia is a complex emotional process. Scientists are inclined to believe that it has two forms.
Personal
It is connected with the past of a particular person. People experience her when they hear a familiar smell (buns from the bakery around the corner) or a favorite song (the one from the CD that a friend borrowed in the seventh grade). Often nostalgia is triggered by a feeling of loneliness or even depressive state.
When a person indulges in nostalgia, he becomes fixated on pleasant memories and replays pictures from the past in his memory. They are usually associated with childhood, relationships and loved ones. Memories seem rosy, they are looked at through rose-colored glasses. A person misses the past and the people from it, wants to return to those times. The emotions are mixed: in English they are described as bittersweet (“bittersweet”). There is melancholy, and calmness, and regret, and sadness, and a warming feeling of comfort.
Historical
She applies to a period of history that a person might not have seen. For example, in Russia millennials romanticize the Soviet era and are sad about the collapse of the USSR. Their nostalgia is an idealized vision of a happy land of “working and smiling people.” This image is rooted in grandmothers’ stories about ice cream, Soviet cinema, old songs and, in general, about the culture of those years. The unsightly underside of Soviet life is usually not remembered. Likewise, Americans admire The USA of the 50s – the era of ideal housewives, stylish cars and universal optimism. Although this same time was the heyday of racism and discrimination against blacks.
The phenomenon of historical nostalgia dedicated British journalist and blogger Asher Isbrucker’s video. He came across a collection of vintage home videos from the middle of the last century and described some in detail. In one of these, the family captured their trip to America in the late 50s. And although the memories on the tape were foreign, Asher felt a strange nostalgia.
“I wasn’t there, I wasn’t even there yet. But this vague concept of “before”—a time when everything seemed simpler than today—was firmly ensconced in my head.”
According to Professor of Psychology Christina Batcho, historical nostalgia is experienced by people who are not satisfied with something in the present. They cling to the idea that “it was better before” and replace real memories and historical context with a subjective perception of the past. Although in this case you can’t even rely on memory – it distorts and replaces facts, slipping something to us selectively.
What’s good about nostalgia?
If you believe scientistsnostalgia has three main psychological functions.
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Causes positive emotions. People notethat bouts of nostalgia lift your spirits. Nostalgia also helps. During times of stress and upheaval in life, it grounds, calms, and reminds us of a time when we were loved unconditionally (not because of the money we made or the jumping up the career ladder).
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Supports and increases self-esteem. Nostalgia allows without judgment look at the past version of yourself (even if it had disadvantages) and compare it with your current self. People often draw positive conclusions for the future.
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Strengthens social connections. This is true for historical nostalgia. People feel a sense of belonging, sometimes even unite in communities of interests (for example, in public pages with memes about the 2000s).
In 2012, American scientists notedthat for some nostalgia is a valuable psychological resource. Thanks to it, people even find meaning in life, deal with stress more effectively and generally feel better.
How nostalgia can hurt
Nostalgia also has its downsides. Their listed American psychology professor Kevin Bennett wrote in his article for Psychology Today. According to him, nostalgia provokes at least several problems.
Stagnation
Nostalgia often becomes an anchor that keeps you in one place and prevents you from developing. Endless memories of the past are a comfort zone that you don’t want to get out of. Thus, a music group may endlessly play only old hits for fear that the fans will not like the new songs.
Idealization
Nostalgia prevents us from being objective. Because of it, we see the past as if through a rainbow filter: we ignore all the bad (difficulties and experiences) and remember only the good (smiles, laughter, warmth). As a result, it turns out that we romanticize a past that never even existed. If you make decisions based on this, you can harm yourself. For example, getting back together with an ex who was actually a toxic abuser.
Loss of authenticity
Nostalgia is fertile ground for consumerism. Content makers take advantage of this – they release the next film or series, stuffed with references to pop culture of the 80s, and make money from viewers who shed a nostalgic tear (both box office revenue and merch). And marketers designers and social media users are turning nostalgia into trends. In the 2010s, for example, it was fashionable to carry a Polaroid and collect vinyl. And in the 2020s, everyone remembered pleated mini skirtschokers, denim and blue shadows from the 2000s.
Nostalgia, mixed with ubiquitous trends, encourages you to buy themed T-shirts, watch popular films with the atmosphere of past eras and remember what our mothers used to wear. In this pursuit, human individuality can be lost. It is becoming increasingly difficult to discern what is personal interest in the culture of the past and what is the desire to be in trend. Not to mention that such nostalgia can take a serious toll on your wallet.
Escapism
Nostalgia is a tempting way to escape from real problems. A person immerses himself in thoughts about the past in order to hide from the present, that is, he engages in escapism. For example, he is not looking for a new job, but remembers colleagues and corporate events of the company from which he was fired. In this regard, Kevin Bennett put escapism is on a par with alcoholism and gambling.
Professor Christina Batcho at the same time believesthat the fear of being “stuck in the past” is exaggerated (for most people). According to her, for many this is a completely healthy mechanism for coping with stress.
“When we look back at our memories, we try to remember how other people in our lives solved problems in the past. And then we use that as a role model in solving today’s problems.”
Why do we remember 2007?
There are several versions. And the context is different in different countries. But both in Russia and in the West this year is often called “The golden era of the Internet.” At that time, technology really seemed to be at its peak: at the Microsoft exhibition presented the first iPhone, the mobile gaming market exploded, and smartphones slowly began to replace old-school MP3 players.
In addition, pop culture blossomed. In 2007 alone, many video games were released that became cult favorites – Call of Duty 4, Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, The Witcher. Famous music groups like MGMT and Radiohead have released new albums. The hits of American hip-hop artists Fergie and Acon were listened to all over the world. The first “Transformers” were shown in the cinema, and the series “The Big Bang Theory” started on television.
For many Americans, this year has also become hope for a brighter future: after nine years of protracted conflicts in the Middle East, there are politicians who finally started talking about change.
In Russia, the meme “bring back my 2007” accidentally started it former President Dmitry Medvedev. In 2011 he promisedthat “no one will ever go back to 2007.” This phrase meant that the course of modernization would continue and there would be no rollback. Gradually it took root in RuNet, but it acquired a new meaning – in 2007, everyone, on the contrary, suddenly wanted to return. Generation zero so far nostalgic at this time due to the low dollar exchange rate, school pizza for 28 rubles, lunch cartoons on STS and Three Crust crackers. In addition, in 2007 it has already been a year since worked new social network “VKontakte”. By February she became one of the most visited sites on the RuNet.
The optimistic 2007 was followed by 2008, the year of the global economic crisis, which called great recession. For many, it became a feature after which happy times remained for a long time just around the corner. And this is another reason why many still remember their 2007 with warmth.