A New Age of Nostalgia: Why is Gen-Z Stuck In the Past?
They say everything old becomes new again and for Gen Z, this seems especially true.
According to analyst Stephanie Harlow, consumer trends and insights point to Gen Z as the most nostalgic generation. This generation is driving sales of vinyl records and CDs. Fashion trends are cycling back through the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even Y2K styles. With the resurgence of good old-fashioned analog hobbies like film photography or turning back to physical books and magazines, there is no doubt that Gen Z is searching for a way of life lost in the digital age.
But what is it exactly that has Gen Z longing for the past — in many cases, a past that we were not alive to experience? And what does this nostalgia say about our modern world?
Historical Nostalgia Take Over
Nostalgia is a powerful feeling. It often arrives to us as a bittersweet longing for the past, whether it be a memory or an emotion. However, it can also be deceptive and romanticized, leading to unrealistic glorification of a memory or experience, making the present reality feel harsher.
Dr. Clay Routledge, a psychologist from Archbridge Institute whose research focuses on nostalgia, believes this idealization of the past has hidden benefits. Routledge says, “We draw on [nostalgia] to resolve our dissatisfactions in the present and to move forward with hope and determination.” He argues that instead of leaving people feeling stuck in the past, nostalgia often helps them to develop the tools to build a better future. This is exactly what he believes Gen Z’s fixation with nostalgia aims to do.
Gen Z widely experiences what is known as historical nostalgia, meaning a nostalgia for a past that predates our entire lives. In Routledge’s research, he found that “sixty percent of Gen Z adults said that they wished they could return to a time before everyone was ‘plugged in.’”
In his study, Dr. Routledge points out that nostalgic memories, even for experiences from before you were alive, can be a source of guidance and inspiration. His research suggests that “even a few minutes of reflecting on a fond memory of listening to an old familiar song can improve your mood, increase feelings of belonging, and instill a sense of meaning in life.”
Why is Gen Z Longing For The Past?
There are a lot of reasons why the past can feel appealing to Gen Z. It was a time when hobbies were tangible, life felt slower and more meaningful, and products, especially clothing, were higher quality and built to last. This sense of quality is a major reason for the resurgence in thrifting ‘vintage’ styles. But the most obvious difference is the widespread appearance of the internet and social media in recent years.
The digital age has many negative side effects, and Gen Z is aware of them. Studies from the National Library of Medicine continue to show a connection between excessive online media consumption and rising struggles with mental health, depression, and feelings of uselessness among Gen Z.
Struggles With the Digital Age
It is hard to be nostalgic for a past that is entirely online. Memories live in tangible evidence: childhood books, favorite toys, or traditions. On the internet, everything is there one minute and replaced with an entirely new trend the next. Gen Z is combating this with the idea of “going analog,” and finding an appreciation for tangible things.
Luba Kassova, a writer at Fortune, asserts that for Gen Z, buying vinyl or print books is more than an act of nostalgia. Instead, Kassova argues that these are “an act of defiance in the face of the formless digital world and a cry for respite from the enormous noise perpetuated by the 24/7 social media cycles.”
Of course, this “act of defiance” against the digital world is also a trend driven by social media, and it has influenced how brands produce and market products to us. The digital era is inescapable, and this sort of marketing follows us into the physical sphere. Does this at all taint the desire? Perhaps for some, but others may argue that anytime spent offline, whether taking part in a trend or not, is good for us.
In this sense, social media becomes similar to how it was originally intended to be used: a space to share ideas and creations within a community. It is more of a digital archive for all that we have done and created, rather than an echo chamber of content trying to influence or market a certain lifestyle.
Gen Z Going Analog
Personally, I enjoy the idea of going analog. My curated social media feed is constantly showing me ways to get off social media, encouraging hobbies or long-form physical media consumption such as books or magazines, which help me form opinions and critical thinking. I am not alone in this. According to Fortune, “Generation Z has unexpectedly become the primary driver behind the rapidly growing analog music and print book economies in the U.S. and U.K.”
Is this nostalgia and longing for an undigitized world a cry for change? A begging to go back to a simpler time? Or is it just another idealized social media trend that will be replaced with a new strange hyperfixation come next winter?
Dr. Routledge chooses to remain hopeful, saying, “Historical nostalgia may be helping a younger generation to harness the benefits of new technology while preserving the virtues of the tangible, physical experience that remain essential to human flourishing.”
I, too, am choosing to believe that our collective nostalgia is more than a fleeting trend. I think it is a way for us to counteract all of the noise of social media, log off, and connect with the real people in our lives and with a past that encouraged tangible expressions of identity. It’s a time for us each to ask ourselves who we are and how we would like to spend our time.