Let’s not sugarcoat it:
You’re not nostalgic.
You’re stuck.
Every time you mumble that “things used to be better,” you’re not sharing a memory.
You’re revealing your resignation.
Because guess what? If the past really was better, you’d still be living it. But you’re not. You’re here – in the now – scrolling, complaining, and secretly wishing the world would stop changing so fast.
Welcome to the most dangerous kind of thinking: romanticised regression.
The Emotional Scam of Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a master illusionist.
It edits your memories like an Instagram filter edits your face.
It hides every inconvenience, erases the discomfort, and injects a syrupy glow into a reality that never existed in the first place.
You don’t miss “how it was.”
You miss how you felt when you were younger, freer, or simply less overwhelmed by complexity.
But here’s the punchline:
The past wasn’t better. You were just more ignorant of its problems.
No internet? No access.
No digital distraction? No global voice.
No constant change? No progress.
You want the benefits of evolution without the price of adaptation.
That’s not wisdom. That’s cowardice.
The Past Never Asked for Your Worship
The people who built the past didn’t want it preserved in a glass coffin.
They pushed boundaries, broke rules, and questioned the status quo.
They were the disruptors of their time – not nostalgic puppets dragging their feet.
By glorifying the past, you’re betraying its legacy.
You turn revolutionary eras into relics.
You freeze what was meant to evolve.
Progress doesn’t come from reverence.
It comes from irreverence – from the audacity to say:
We can do better.
The Past Is Not a Benchmark – It’s a Launchpad
You think quoting how things “used to be” gives you perspective.
It doesn’t. It gives you a leash.
Because every backward glance you elevate as “the standard” becomes a mental prison.
It limits what you’re willing to try.
It filters what you believe is possible.
It turns innovation into a threat rather than an invitation.
You don’t need to forget the past.
You need to stop glorifying it as your emotional anchor.
Who Benefits from Your Nostalgia?
Ever wondered who actually profits from your golden-age syndrome?
Answer:
– Politicians selling fake stability.
– Companies selling “authenticity” in a retro package.
– Gurus selling “return to simplicity” while charging $999 for an online detox course.
Your yearning is a market.
Your regression is monetised.
Every time you say “it was better back then,”
you’re not only lying to yourself –
you’re fuelling a system that capitalises on your reluctance to grow.
Why “Früher war alles besser” Is a Cultural Drug
Especially in German-speaking cultures, “Früher war alles besser” is not just a sentence.
It’s a social ritual.
A verbal sigh.
A polite way of saying: “I’ve stopped trying.”
It’s disguised pessimism in traditional wrapping paper.
It’s passive-aggressive nostalgia at scale.
And it’s intellectual laziness pretending to be cultural heritage.
What if we banned that sentence entirely for 30 days?
Imagine the vacuum it would create in dinner conversations, media debates, and LinkedIn comments.
Now imagine what could fill that vacuum: Ideas. Courage. Questions. Progress.
Let’s Be Honest: You’re Just Scared
Scared of not understanding the now.
Scared of being irrelevant tomorrow.
Scared of making decisions without a script.
So you take refuge in the past – because it’s familiar, and you’ve already survived it.
But survival isn’t success.
And comfort isn’t truth.
Let’s call it what it is:
A fear-based thinking loop.
And it’s draining your potential.
What to Say Instead of “Things Used to Be Better”
Try these instead:
- “I don’t understand this yet – but I’m curious.”
- “That worked for us then. What might work now?”
- “The past had strengths. The future needs upgrades.”
These aren’t slogans.
They’re mental vitamins.
Start taking them daily.
A Rethinking Ritual: The 3-Step Escape from Nostalgia
Here’s how you kill the glorified ghost of the past:
1. REFLECT
Ask: What exactly do I miss – and is it real, or romanticised?
Don’t trust the first answer. Dig until the discomfort shows up.
2. ANALYSE
Identify: What skills or mindsets am I avoiding by clinging to the past?
What would I have to learn if I let go?
3. ADVANCE
Decide: What new behaviour proves I’m no longer nostalgic – but courageous?
Then do it. Fast. Publicly. Loudly.
Final Thought: Burn the Shrine
The past is not your temple.
It’s your trampoline.
Stop building altars to what once was.
Start building bridges to what could be.
Because if you really want to honour the past –
outgrow it.
You don’t owe it loyalty.
You owe it transformation.
And no, things weren’t better back then.
They were just different – and now it’s your job to be better than them.
R2049 