...or simply dying.

Well, not in the literal sense; but are the many advancements in technology "killing" our younger generation's sense of nostalgia? When people who were kids in the 1930's, 40's, and 50's look back on their childhood, they generally reminisce over a few photographs of themselves as kids or about a product or a TV show that no longer exists and has very little proof that it ever existed at all, except maybe through an advertisement in an old magazine. Not many people have home movies from those decades and people generally have less documentation of their lives, the older they are. Somewhere in between those baby boomers and today's kids are most of us, in our mid 20's to 40's. We have an ample amount of pictures and possibly a few home movies; again, the latter likely decreasing with our current age. The old TV shows and songs from our childhood also decrease steadily the older people are. Meaning, someone 60 doesn't have nearly as many TV shows, songs, books, movies, magazines to look back on from their childhood as someone who's 35, obviously.

In sharp contrast, however, my daughter who will be 2 in January already has over 200 family movies and probably 1500-2000 pictures to document her two-year existence and to look back on when we tell her about her childhood. How will that be nostalgic for her? I mean, it's all right there in digital color. When she's graduating and she wants to know what outfits she wore in first grade - click click...ok she wore this, that, and this. We'll have 100 photos covering every significant event. There are 100 childrens book here that I can read her a 100 kids shows on my cables stations during the week. I had 4 TV channels when I was seven - she'll have 400. You get my point. So, what will she remember from all of that?

I'm 40 and I'm a nostalgia nut. I could sit and look at old things from my childhood all day long...Banana Splits, School House Rock, HR Puffinstuff, etc. Just seeing pictures of how my mom's house looked when I was born and seeing all the old furniture has always amazed me; how the house and the neighborhood have changed over the years, but maybe it's because so few of those photos exist. Are the old days even MORE nostalgic for my parents who have far fewer moments captured from their childhood?

I'm interested in peoples' thoughts. Will capturing so much of our kids lives on video ruin the nostalgia for them? If so, what, then, will create their nostalgia? Something will - because it's human nature to cherish old moments and memories, IMO. I expect the older crowd to get this thread more than the young guys. Smart-assed comments are not welcome....j/k yeah they are fukers.

Yeah, but she'll be able to click on photos of her in 3D and have TV we can't imagine now in the future. Thus, she will be nostalgic for the days of "simple" digital photographs, TV that wasn't interactive, etc.

I'm 25 and nostalgic for the days of 8-bit games, 28.8k modems, and car phones.

Nostalgia won't die. Nor do I think it's dying. I do, however, believe the focus of that sentiment will be in/on different things as gorocks referenced to.

gorocks99;553748 wrote:Yeah, but she'll be able to click on photos of her in 3D and have TV we can't imagine now in the future. Thus, she will be nostalgic for the days of "simple" digital photographs, TV that wasn't interactive, etc.

I'm 25 and nostalgic for the days of 8-bit games, 28.8k modems, and car phones.

Good point. Like I said, something will create the nostalgia. I was actually thinking about what we'll have in 30 years. 3D holograms of past dining rooms at Xmas that we can click on and walk into?

Con_Alma;553750 wrote:Nostalgia won't die. Nor do I think it's dying. I do, however, believe the focus of that sentiment will be in/on different things as gorocks referenced to.

It's all relative, but I think it's dying. Physical (digital) captures are so common now. Compare that to the time when the only proof of your memories were the memories themselves.

I don't see the problem with having lots of pictures. It'll add to any nostalgia people feel for their childhood. I wish I'd have tons of video and pictures from my childhood.

Other than the "man that takes me back" feeling I don't think nostalgia is a particularly valuable feeling/sentiment. Everyone uses it to say that things were better in the past because that's when they were a kid/teen which is when everyone has the most positive experience.

Steel Valley Football;553757 wrote:It's all relative, but I think it's dying. Physical (digital) captures are so common now. Compare that to the time when the only proof of your memories were the memories themselves.

Interesting perspective.

I've never viewed "things" as being the creator of nostalgia. It's that opinion that makes me believe that the human element, the sense of past and what it is that influenced who I am today that creates that feeling of appreciation and positive emotions.

I do think that "things" can stimulate or ignite a present feeling of nostalgia but I don't think it's the reason we have it.

Con_Alma;553762 wrote:Interesting perspective.

I've never viewed "things" as being the creator of nostalgia. It's that opinion that makes me believe that the human element, the sense of past and what it is that influenced who I am today that creates that feeling of appreciation and positive emotions.

I do think that "things" can stimulate or ignite a present feeling of nostalgia but I don't think it's the reason we have it.

Wow...I believe you are putting too much emphasis into this "nostalgia", but, good for you.

And to the op, Already over 200 "movies" for someone that isn't even 2? I know it's your child, but you are going to be "that parent". Enjoy. I can already envision, whoever you are, having a "My kid just took her first dump alone" bumper sticker on your car.

Too much?

I haven't emphasized it at all. How can that be too much?

I thought Steel Valley asked an interesting question ...one I certainly had never thought of before, and I spent maybe a minute and half thinking about it.

I know we live in a culture that now is made up of 15 second radio commercials and attention spans of flash length but it doesn't seem like a minute and a half is very much at all.

Con_Alma;553788 wrote:Too much?

I haven't emphasized it at all. How can that be too much?

I thought Steel Valley asked an interesting question ...one I certainly had never thought of before, and I spent maybe a minute and half thinking about it.

I know we live in a culture that now is made up of 15 second radio commercials and attention spans of flash length but it doesn't seem like a minute and a half is very much at all.

It does seem like a minute and a half made you out to be a pompous douchebag.

That could very well be.

....then again I've never worried too much about how I'm made out to be.

So, is Nostalgia dead? Do we still yearn to return to the past?

I think in some sense wishing nostalgia was more prevalent today is in and of itself nostalgic. Is it not?

-Society-;553780 wrote:Wow...I believe you are putting too much emphasis into this "nostalgia", but, good for you.

And to the op, Already over 200 "movies" for someone that isn't even 2? I know it's your child, but you are going to be "that parent". Enjoy. I can already envision, whoever you are, having a "My kid just took her first dump alone" bumper sticker on your car.

We're doing fine as parents. Better than 80-85% of the parents out there, if I had to estimate.

Steel Valley Football;553831 wrote:We're doing fine as parents. Better than 80-85% of the parents out there, if I had to estimate.

Link? Right now I am doing better than 100% of the parents out there. No estimation.

You are right CA. Nostalgia is an emotion. I'm thinking more along the lines of nostalgic items.

Let me take another angle...

Imagine you just lost everything in a house fire - including all old photos of you, your folks, your old houses, schools, etc....whatever was dear to you. Then imagine you rebuild and ten years later finding an envelope with a few photos of your family and they are the only ones you know to exist.

I guess the idea I was trying to get across is if you think about a young kid with hundred of photos and videos of themselves and how they couldn't care less about your few photos. They'd be sacred to you but so silly to them they'd throw them down and spit on them. That's how I view today's youth. They have their lives documented and available possibly at the click of a mouse. My dad, on the other hand, is over 70 and has just a handful of photos from when he was young. I guess it's like personal utility and the the law of diminishing returns. The more you have, the less valuable one of those items is to you. In this case, childhood memorabilia.

-Society-;553832 wrote:Link? Right now I am doing better than 100% of the parents out there. No estimation.

I doubt it. But who cares.

Steel Valley Football;553853 wrote:I doubt it. But who cares.

I thought the 80-85% was quite high myself.

I Wear Pants;553758 wrote:I don't see the problem with having lots of pictures. It'll add to any nostalgia people feel for their childhood. I wish I'd have tons of video and pictures from my childhood.

See I think it's exactly opposite. The more photos and videos you have, the less nostalgic they become. The more the past is available the less enigmatic it is. Think of memorabilia as being like antiques. The more there are, the less they are worth. If you have just one, its invaluable.

Just in my opinion anyway.

-Society-;553855 wrote:I thought the 80-85% was quite high myself.

I don't. I could explain it if you start another thread; not here.

Steel Valley Football;553862 wrote:See I think it's exactly opposite. ...

Kind of desensitizing oneself....correct?

If* that's the case will you minimize the "tools" of memories so your child might be more nostalgic?

Con_Alma;553867 wrote:Kind of desensitizing oneself....correct?

Is that's the case will you minimize the "tools" of memories so your child might be more nostalgic?

Explain further, I'm not quite following.

If you want your daughter to remain nostalgic about her childhood, by your definition, shouldn't you be limiting the number of videos/photos/etc that you have of her?

Steel Valley Football;553848 wrote:... I'm thinking more along the lines of nostalgic items.

...

I see. That's much different than what I thought you meant by nostalgia.

I can understand how the "items" may become less important because of their pure volume. Wouldn't that place a higher meaning on those things that triggered emotions of the past like scents, locations, music and the like?

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Steel Valley Football;553862 wrote:See I think it's exactly opposite. The more photos and videos you have, the less nostalgic they become. The more the past is available the less enigmatic it is. Think of memorabilia as being like antiques. The more there are, the less they are worth. If you have just one, its invaluable.

Just in my opinion anyway.

I'm not calling you stupid but I think that idea is a little bit. My pictures and cherished items from my childhood are such because they captured moments that I remember fondly. Not because there are few of them.

And I don't have to worry about the house fire scenario because I have everything scanned and backed up to several remote locations.

FatHobbit;553889 wrote:Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

I lol'ed.