Take the subreddit r/90s, for example. It has 266K members and they regularly reminisce about the era. Whether it’s memes of classic video games, old-school commercials, or forgotten snacks, this online community is dedicated to keeping its memory alive. Continue scrolling to check out the pictures and the chat we had with sociologist Dr. Anthony Synnott — it’s spread out in between the images. “We may believe we do, but people have such widely divergent beliefs in reincarnation, the Islamic Paradise, the Christian hell or heaven with the Beatific Vision, or just nothing — and it is hard to imagine one’s nothingness!” Synnott tells Bored Panda. Of course, there’s also “the aging prior to that” and the image of “a long, drawn out, painful illness, with medical staff reluctant to give you enough morphine in case you get addicted.” But what about the positives? Well, “one might say [it gives us] more experience and therefore greater wisdom, but for whom?” the sociologist asks. “My sons know more than me about modern life, and my five grandsons are generally not interested in the rare advice I might give and more in their friends, sports, and machines — as I was at their age and, unfortunately, later.” So what does a person have to do with all of this? Well, we have to accept that some things are simply out of our control. Synnott says one has to learn to be a bit philosophical and use the “It is what it is” mindset more than grumbling. We humans have found ways to extend life but often at the cost of personal autonomy. Ignoring the problems leaves us unprepared for the realities of aging and dying. We change constantly, sometimes in incredible ways, too. We’re not anywhere near the same as we were when we were three years old, for example. Nostalgia, by motivating us to remember the past in our own life, helps us to connect to our authentic selves and remind us of who we have been and then compare that to who we feel we are today. So if you want to continue your trip down memory lane, fire up our older publications on the subreddit r/90s: 40 Jokes And Memes About The 1990s Shared In This Online Group That Today’s Kids Won’t Understand and 50 Posts About The ’90s That Are Full Of Nostalgia. Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
