The Psychology of the Lost Golden Age | Why Do We Miss The Old Days?

We all know the sentence: “Back then, life was better.”
In this long-form video, we dig into the psychology behind that feeling. Why do so many of us carry a “lost golden age” in our heads—whether it’s childhood, university years, a pre-internet decade, or a version of society that feels more stable and meaningful than today?

Sources
Sedikides, C., Wildschut, T., & Baden, D. (2004). “Nostalgia: Conceptual Issues and Existential Functions.” Handbook of Experimental Existential Psychology.
Sedikides, C. & Wildschut, T. (2018). “Nostalgia: A Bittersweet Emotion that Confers Psychological Health Benefits.” Current Directions in Psychological Science.
Routledge, C., Arndt, J., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Hart, C. M., Juhl, J., ... (2011). “The past makes the present meaningful: Nostalgia as an existential resource.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Fuentenebro, F. & Valiente, C. (2019). “Past, Present and Future of Nostalgia in Psychiatry.” Revista de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental.
Davis, F. (1979). Yearning for Yesterday: A Sociology of Nostalgia.
Boym, S. (2001). The Future of Nostalgia.
Bauman, Z. (2000). Liquid Modernity.
Bauman, Z. (2003). Liquid Love: On the Frailty of Human Bonds.

#psychology #selfimprovement #life