I always hear people say something along the lines of “I wish I was born in the 19xx, life would have been so much better”. There is a perception that the past is this mystical time of living that we aren’t experiencing now. While there are many changes and in some cases things might have been better for you personally, every generation had its fair share of problems for the average everyday person. Today might be different but I wouldn’t say day to day live is more complex. We might have more advanced gadgets, but the core problems of what make human beings, human, still exist.
There is a word called Anemoia, which is nostalgia for a time that you have never known. There is a fantastic video made by Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows that talks about this phenomenon. I have to say that I definitely have this feeling commonly and find myself daydreaming what it would be like to live in the 80s or 90s. Not because I think life would be simpler, but because those times seemed so hopeful on the outside. Like I said before though, I know that there was the same problems we have today, if not worse, but we only hear about the good parts of the decade.
I think TV shows and other forms of media from the times glorify a nice cozy and simple existence even though it is far from reality. People fall into the trap while watching shows like “Leave it to Beaver”, and believe that was an authentic representation of what the 50s was like. Media plays the primary role in creating Anemoia for many people who were born much later. Even I admit that I sometimes will flip through the channels and watch something like “Saved By the Bell” and wish that was my highschool experience.
I think the desire for living in another generation is subconsciously a desire for happiness that you haven’t found in this world. Rather than trying to find happiness here and in our current reality, many search in the past as if it would be easier to obtain. However this search will end up only disappointing. You can never go back and the more you want to , youll just become depressed. You have to do the best with what you have here and now and stop dreaming about the past. Everyone and a while it is okay to indulge in a fantasy, but every moment is not healthy.
Ive actually had feelings of Anemoia long before I knew the term for it and Im sure many of you have as well. What do you think about this phenomenon and have you ever experienced it? If we were to indulge in this fantasy, if you could live at any point in time, what would you chose and why? I love to hear from everyone and I always read every response even if I don’t respond. Look forward to hearing what generation most people choose. Im sure many of you have lived through the 80s and 90s, but even if you want to relive them again, I would understand.