Excerpt:
People are more prone to nostalgia during cold weather, seeking content that “warms our hearts and our spirits,” said Clay Routledge, psychologist and author of Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource, who added that said emotion also is fueled by the heightened presence of rituals and holiday traditions.
But it’s also more than just a seasonal bet. “There’s a lot of stuff going on in the world that’s making people feel uneasy or dissatisfied or uncertain,” said Routledge, referencing concerns of AI, the global rise of political populism, and concerns of climate change. “When we feel high uncertainty, we mine the past for comfort, but also for guidance and inspiration.”
Routledge referenced results from a recent survey run by Human Flourishing Lab, where he is a director and vice president of research. Calling nostalgia a “forever trend,” he noted it’s fueled by experiencing rapid changes in society. And getting constant news alerts about the latest world-altering issue doesn’t help either.
“The more information comes at us, the more we’re going to be seeking that kind of comfort food as a way to, like, stabilize ourselves,” Routledge explained, adding “nostalgia tends to be a successful bet.”
Read the full article at Fortune.
Read Nostalgia in America: The Power of Looking Back to Move Forward here.
Fortune
Share:
Related Posts
