AMS students—Helmi Kukka Kärki, Zuzanna Dziedzic, and Agnietė Gelažunaitė—discussing the current phenomenon of nostalgia in the digital realm. In today’s world of rapid digitalisation, constant innovation, and uncertainty, society—especially on social media—looks back to past decades, often with a strong nostalgia for the early 2000s. Moreover, nowadays people tend to switch from digital devices to analog ones or avoid current fashion trends by wearing vintage pieces of clothing. The students will explore these topics in-depth, discussing what nostalgia truly is, why Generation Z feels such a strong pull toward the past and a fascination with vintage culture, and what drives this nostalgia. They’ll also consider whether this trend is objective and safe. Additionally, they’ll share their own experiences with this phenomenon.
Bibliography
Baade, Christina, and Paul Aitken. “Still ‘In the Mood’: The Nostalgia Aesthetic in a Digital World.” Journal of Popular Music Studies 20, no. 4 (2008): 353–77. doi:10.1111/j.1533-1598.2008.00169.x.
Boym, Svetlana. The future of nostalgia, 2001. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA81343073.
McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media : The Extensions of Man. London [etc: Ark, 1987. Ranger, Terence. “The Past Is a Foreign Country. David Lowenthal.” The American Journal of Sociology 92, no. 4 (1987): 1008–9. doi:10.1086/228604.
Reynolds, Simon. Retromania: Pop Culture’s Addiction to Its Own Past, 2011, http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB0794595X
Really love your video—it brought back so many memories for me. During the COVID lockdowns, I lived in a dormitory with a friend, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons was our way to relax. We spent hours designing our islands, visiting each other’s towns, and just trying to find a little joy in such a stressful time. It was such a special way to feel connected, even when the world outside felt so isolated.
Since coming to the Netherlands to study, I haven’t seen that friend, and honestly, life gets so busy that I haven’t played ACNH in a while either. But watching your video reminded me of those moments and how comforting it was to create a little world of our own. It’s amazing how a game like this can hold so many emotions and memories. Thank you for sharing this.