Why We Yearn for The Past - The Nostalgia Glitch

Do you ever wonder why everyone is so nostalgic? The nostalgia effect is real, and there is a reason why so many of us are longing for the past and the so-called glory days. Gen X and Millennials, in particular, are drawn to vintage and retro styles, which is amplified by social media. Childhood memories and memories from young adulthood tend to be the strongest, since that's when we're forging our identity.

But did you know that those bittersweet memories of the good old days often surface during stressful times or uncertain periods? That’s because predictability calms the brain. Nostalgia is actually a coordinated brain function to help you cope with life.

That said, when it comes to nostalgia and memory, things aren’t exactly as they seem. You see, there is a glitch in the code. The past you're longing for is not entirely real. The memories nostalgia evokes are not perfect recordings. They're reconstructions, edited and curated by your brain. The rough edges are smoothed over, and the good parts are emphasized. That’s why the past almost always seems better than it actually was.