Nostalgia, yes or no. Thoughts?

I think of nostalgia as positive thoughts, but with a shadow of longing for what was, which can make one a little sad, so bitter-sweet, in one context, and a warm glow of memory in another.

I don't think there's anything wrong with nostalgia per se. I think the problem comes when nostalgia pushes out appreciation of the present, even to the point of preventing new ideas and new trends to take root.

I do think back on the 70s and 80s with a certain fondness. However, being able with watch whatever I want on my iPad while sitting on a smoke free plane ride next to my black/Asian girlfriend with exactly zero harassment over it is also nice 😉

At 63, I do think nostalgically. Times were simpler and there was a greater connection between people. There seemed to be less anger and frustration. There wasn’t the absurdity of “cancel culture”. The focus was certainly on betterment, but it had the greater good in mind.

Now, life is much more about individual entitlement. People of all ages are literally glued to their phones. In many instances, young adults have started to lose conversational ability. Text has replaced the call. It is efficient, but the nuance is lost. The same holds true with an email. It can never beat an actual voice on the telephone.

Also, with things like friend finders and snap maps, you always know where your friends are (now). That’s not necessarily good. What if you aren’t included? You know now. You didn’t then. That can be rough on teens.

On the bright side, everyone has gained by the ease of access to information. That’s huge. Personally, age discrimination has lessened. That’s great for me. It’s nice to be considered vibrant and have the ability to attack life. When I was a teen, someone that was 63 would be looked at in wonderment, ‘You’re still alive?’ Damn. 😂

Despite what the news wants to convey, racial and cultural acceptance are dramatically better. People just interact. Cultural avoidance, for the most part, is gone. Granted the world isn’t perfect, but the chasm of the 60’s and 70’s has long since passed- mostly thanks to the efforts of our children!

And finally, “News”. Forget about the speed of access. That’s a benefit to all. It’s the content. When I grew up the news wasn’t politicized. Walter Cronkite (and others) told you what was going on. You could trust it as the truth. Now, there’s literally no such thing as “news”. The commentary is politically motivated, pseudo-factual, editorial. Nobody watches “A” channel. They watch the channel that feeds them the political news they’re comfortably hearing. That’s a massive kick in the nuts for national unity.

Hmmm, maybe both? I remember the good times and those thoughts are comforting, but the bad times are, or can be, hurtful. They are also the parts of my life that taught me much about life, people and myself.

So yeah, maybe it's, in a way, all good.

I like to remember the good times in the past, but times were awful for the minorities in my town. I don't like to remember that I may have been a part of the problem.

I am nostalgic for the music and art that I loved. I am frightened as all hell, about the future of the US.

"Life is alright in America, if you're all white in America." (West Side Story)

Not much has changed.

I don't know about much simpler times. I am from that generation, and if I wanted to communicate with "remote" people, it was far more complicated: letters, phone calls (when you're available), taking photos and then developing them, video was not really available, etc.

The reason we have all these extra features today, is because these are the things we wish we had back then.

I didn't like the 1970s either (I am 66) but today is more dangerous, with populism, global warming and social media to name but a few. And I have a growing impression that we are here to serve technology rather than the other way around. I'm not nostalgic for my youth but I don't like the modern world much either (Logs out of SW).

Good 🙌
Social cognition. Nostalgia can encourage you to solve interpersonal issues, reconnect with old friends, and prioritize the important relationships in your life. Overall, nostalgia serves to strengthen feelings of social connectedness that are vital to the human experience.😀

Nostalgia is looking back at the past with fondness. There are many good memories that you can remember from growing up like playing outside with friends till dark. But alas, the past is the past, we live in the present and must be accepting of the realities that are happening now.

Oh i don't doubt we were all much happier not knowing then what we do today.
There's a sort of innocence in that.

That's something this age of technology has shoved down our throats ! A loss of innocence..
I don't envy youngsters today.
[quote]Here's what you should think. Here's what you should do. If you don't agree with this then you're not normal ![/quote] etc.

I like the balance of nostalgia. It feels like deeper waters where the thoughts can flow a little slower under the weight of all that time. There’s joy but the loss of it, gratitude it was there at all, perspective, reassurance of resilience. Some aches have a sweet nature.

Nostalgia can be a good thing. It does remind us what was good/better about the past, usually. Something that might be good for the present or the future if seriously considered.

In moderation, yes, it is good. As long as one doesnt become obsessed with the way things used to be and gets mentally stuck back in the past.

It's good, as long as you don't expect things to be like that again.

Before 2000 was like that

Just don't get stuck in it

I grew up in the 1990s-2000s which were much simpler times compared to today. I can't help but get nostalgic for those times, even if my childhood from ages 13-17 wasn't great.

As a sentimental, it has its positives and negatives. As long as we don't revisit old memories too often; wanting what was or becoming hostage to it.

I don't like thinking about the past. It sucked. I actually wish I would have been born in another era but enjoy some of the perks we have today.

{@mikla] 🤔sorry if you are sixty two then how come you are still in the 56-60 age group 🤷‍♂️ just asking

i hate nostalgia personally. it's a consent reminder that life will never be the same and it haunts me all the time

For me it's hard to separate nostalgia from something I wish to have again.

@Mikla yes you absolutely right technology has come on leaps and bounds

Nostalgia's ok - but it's not what it used to be!

Even The Good Times Are Bad

Thank you for BC. 🙏

I would say it can be bitter/sweet. But we are all nostalgic and sentimental, not always sure it's a good thing but we can't help it somehow.

I was a small child in the 70's, born less than a week before Kent State, I have a lot of fond memories of that era.