Comments | cloudatlas: What causes nostalgia?

cloudatlas

What causes nostalgia?

Oct 24, 2006 17:02

When I was driving from Colorado to Tennessee, I had the opportunity to explore the town in Illinois where I lived when I was 6. Even though I only lived there for a year, I was struck by the power of the emotions I felt when I walked around my old old house and the school where I went to kindergarten. This could be any house, any school, any ( Read more... )

nostalgia, big questions

Comments 7

jedibix783 October 25 2006, 17:43:32 UTC

This reminds me of my own wonderings about memories of pain -- you may remember talking to me about them last summer.

Also, way to not talk it over with me. :(

1. I have to disagree -- true nostalgia is not easy, I think. Sure, nostalgia like, "I love 1984!" is really easy, not to mention really self-indulgent. But true nostalgia -- the OED says:

1. Acute longing for familiar surroundings, esp. regarded as a medical condition; homesickness. Also in extended use.
2. a. Sentimental longing for or regretful memory of a period of the past, esp. one in an individual's own lifetime; (also) sentimental imagining or evocation of a period of the past.(I'd just like to point out that when it says "Subscriber: Oxford University" on the OED's webpage, it makes me happy ( ... )

cloudatlas October 27 2006, 17:50:59 UTC

"I think we miss times when we did not have the cares that we have today ( ... )

jedibix783 November 1 2006, 17:39:44 UTC

That bit about the Portuguese is quite interesting... I'll have to ask my Portuguese friend about it and get back to you.

etherealana October 25 2006, 19:53:23 UTC

You. Are such. A scientist.

And right now I'm feeling nostalgic for when all my friends were in Boston and weren't off being all adult-like with post-grad life and jobs.

Also, I bought that T-shirt. Turns out I couldn't resist it after all.

cloudatlas October 27 2006, 17:56:29 UTC

Science... I'm just in it for the chicks.

I could blind you with vision science! By "blind," I mean show you the same boring stimulus over and over until you fall asleep.

pinkspudbrit October 25 2006, 20:08:29 UTC

Hello, Devin.

Why does the brain seem to ensure a happy past? I think it's a matter of motivation. Why on earth would people strive to achieve things if their memories dwelled on the consistently mediocre? I think if, however briefly, people have something that was at least 75% wonderful, then they'll want to experience it again. So you're not presented with something far away from happiness; you're given a goal to propel yourself toward.

Hm, with #2, do you think people are too habitual to really change the way they behave? Possibly. However, I think that sudden events tend to change people, not deep reflection.

Nostalgia is all situational. And I also think people have a tendency to think "the grass is always greener." Maybe that's what makes nostalgia so potent.

: ) Brittany

cloudatlas October 27 2006, 18:05:42 UTC

You're right - seeing the past with rose-colored glasses could be motivating, not discouraging, as I tried to argue.

With #2, I know that lessons can be learned by dwelling on past events and seeing patterns emerge. So if you're a caveman, perhaps your brain wants you to dwell on how you killed that tiger that one time, so you'll be better in the future? I don't know. Surely learning from past mistakes is a very important function of memory, but it's kind of a weak explanation for the feeling of nostalgia.