Newstalgia: Why Today’s Experiences Are Built on Yesterday’s Memories
Gen Z loves nostalgia, and why not? Research shows that nostalgia boosts mood, fosters social bonds and even gives people a greater sense of meaning in life. In a world where the present feels increasingly unstable, the past offers a sense of comfort, even — or maybe especially — for those of us who haven’t actually experienced it. Perhaps that’s why the best examples don’t just revive history, they remix it to make it feel fresh, interactive, and deeply personal. It’s not just nostalgia, it’s Newstalgia — and it’s everywhere, from Barbie breaking the box office to the Y2K fashion takeover at Fashion Week, from the Friends Experience to Shrek raves on tour. WHAT IS NEWSTALGIA? At its core, Newstalgia is about reimaging the past for the present. It’s about taking retro aesthetics, cultural symbols, and emotional touchpoints and reshaping them into something new, but still familiar. Importantly, Newstalgia isn’t about facts, it’s about feelings. It’s not about getting history right; it’s about playing with it and bending it to our needs. Because the most powerful version of the past is the one we choose to believe. (Need proof that the past isn’t a fixed point, but a choose-your-own-adventure experience?...