Ava Sheridan

A collection of technology associated with the 1990s.

Most people look back at their childhoods fondly. Think about it: sunny skies, wood chips, and primary-colored playground equipment. Just you, your imagination, and whatever friends you could scrounge up back then. No matter how old you are, you’re probably thinking of the Good Old Days.

But let’s take a step back. You probably don’t remember all those scraps and bruises you got from the playground, or that stomach ache from drinking from the hose. All you remember are those happy days when you didn’t have bills or work to worry about.

This is called nostalgia bias. It’s when someone perceives the past as better than the present, often based on their memory of the period.

This isn’t a new phenomenon either. It dates back to ancient Greek philosophers. Take, for example, Socrates. Socrates was so committed to never writing anything down that historians may never have known he existed if it weren’t for others’ accounts.

According to Phaedrus, Socrates thought that writing would destroy the mind and make people forgetful. He also complained that the younger generation was relying too heavily on writing. Sound familiar?

It should, because this is a clear case of nostalgia bias. Nostalgia bias is everywhere once you know how to spot it. You may even hear it from your own parents! Now that we know what it is, let’s ask ourselves why it happens.

Well, it’s pretty simple. According to an article by Andy Fell at UC Davis, our brains tend to prioritize keeping memories seen as rewarding and ditching those that are not. Our brains perceive dopamine as one of these rewards.

In layman’s terms, this means that our brains usually prioritize happy memories over sad ones to help us survive. Nostalgia bias is so prevalent because many people don’t remember the bad parts of the past.

But why should you care? Well, there are many reasons, but the most important is that nostalgia bias is common. Nostalgia bias is used in advertisements and political campaigns alike to attract sales and supporters.

Understanding nostalgia bias can also help you to resist misinformation. For example, if someone claims that the 1990s are better compared to now, you need to understand nostalgia bias to spot it in the statement. Once you know how that statement is biased, you can use that to find the truth.

So, the next time you see an advertisement talking about bringing back a classic item, or your teacher talking about how good the 80s were, think about it. Were those olden days really that good? Or is it just nostalgia bias?