Words: Aoibhin Stewart she/her
Our society has always thrived off reruns. Whether that’s reviving our favourite movies and music, or giving new life to fashion, we are always longing for another era. This has been evident through the recent Oasis craze and resurgence of “British-core” recently. These sudden infatuations are enhanced by social media’s power to manipulate what is viewed as ‘trendy’. The natural human instinct to recapture the past is specifically intriguing to me – how a moment or an era can become so etched into our being that we choose to not only remember it, but relive it. What is the essence of nostalgia in this social media focused society? And could it perhaps function as a unifying force against ageism?
The Ancient Greeks understood nostalgia as a desire to return to a moment in time in which we felt at home – a sense of wistful longing and bittersweet happiness. It can be all-consuming or a simple passing moment. Granted, the nostalgia of 40-year-old men obsessing over Britpop may not align perfectly with the way it was understood in Ancient Greece. However, while our experience of nostalgia has adapted over time, it remains an intrinsic feeling experienced by us all, no matter your age.
Nostalgia is mostly seen as a good thing. It allows generations to bond together through a shared longing for something that doesn’t exist anymore. Yet, despite this, there is a tendency for older generations to gatekeep their own generational experiences. It begs the question – can you really be nostalgic for an era you’ve never lived through? I know you can.
This ageist view insinuates that Millennials and Gen z are ‘too young’ to appreciate music of the 90’s such as Oasis, Blur or Nirvana. But if these bands were aimed at the teenage demographic of the 90s, who’s to say that teenagers now don’t understand their music? So much of this music was arguably supposed to be listened to through the teenage gaze. This was the time when it was most appreciated, helping people to navigate their own adolescence. My dad and I both enjoy the same era of music, so who’s to say that he appreciates it more than I do?
The 2020’s have been coined as the “revival era”, with some critics blaming our capitalist society for our obsession with nostalgia. People search for that familiarity in movies and shows, resulting in an entertainment industry that is becoming increasingly repetitive. Cultural Strategist Molly Barth believes this has started the ‘commodification of nostalgia’. It’s no question whether our nostalgia is profitable, as it undoubtedly fuels our economy, but that doesn’t mean that nostalgia itself is bad. I think the resurgence of old shows is a great thing, allowing audiences of all ages to bond over the same entertainment whether it’s being manipulated by big corporations or not. Gen Zers are glad to see the resurgence of Mean Girls, Harry Potter, and The Princess Diaries, as it makes it socially acceptable to be obsessed with them again and allows younger audiences to join the fandoms.
Through these revivals, Gen Z can embrace relics of childhood. Yet, whilst older Gen Zers are embracing childhood, younger Gen Alphas are preparing for adulthood. In this context, Gen Z’s nostalgia for the past can be viewed as a social turn against the premature ageing which we were subjected to during Covid. From being 14 going into Covid and 16 at the end of it, I feel like I’ve lost two years of my life. By reverting back to childhood, nostalgia allows Gen Z to find comfort in and connect with our own lost past.
However, we should acknowledge the problematics of nostalgia when it is framed as an unhealthy obsession with the past. Critics would point to the tendency to look at that past through rose tinted glasses. For example, it has been claimed that romanticising the early 2000s is damaging since it doesn’t take into account the toxic beauty standards of that time. But if these outdated standards are properly acknowledged, Millennials can act like the older sisters of Gen Z, sharing their 90s and early 2000s fashion and culture in a way that bonds the generations harmoniously together, while leaving toxicity in the past.
By critiquing our tendency towards nostalgia in general, we criticise an integral feature of human existence. To be human is to be nostalgic, no matter how trivial it is. Embracing the culture of the past is how we find ways to connect with each other now, finding eras to dwell on together. Nostalgia regularly brings people back to the unifying age of angst, as we all long to wallow in the solace of adolescence. Whether you’re 17, 37 or 73, nostalgia is experienced by everyone and ultimately bonds us each together under the one cause – being human.
References:
[i]https://www.nme.com/news/tv/what-is-britishcore-tiktok-trend-oasis-tesco-3792823 [ii] How brands – and capitalism – killed nostalgia | The Drum
[iii] Bows Are Fall 2023 & Winter 2024’s Top Fashion Trend (refinery29.com)
