These comments were published by the American Press Institute in a roundtable for news organizations and local journalists.
The Power of Historical Nostalgia
On the surface, it may seem like young generations are uninterested in history, and perhaps especially local history, as well as the cultural wisdom and continuity that is derived from engaging with the stories of people, places and events that predate them.
After all, Gen Z and young Millennials grew up in a forward-looking and fast-moving digital age in which the internet allowed them to form communities that extend far beyond their local environment. However, my research reveals that these young Americans are actually quite interested in exploring past eras and find doing so helpful in navigating their own life challenges and planning for the future.
One psychological force behind young people’s often-overlooked engagement with historical content is nostalgia. Recognizing this presents local news leaders with a significant opportunity to connect more effectively with this demographic. While individuals of all ages tend to feel nostalgic about their own past (personal nostalgia), younger generations are surprisingly highly nostalgic for eras that predate their lifetimes (historical nostalgia).
The overwhelming majority of Gen Z adults and Millennials report feeling nostalgic for eras before their lifetimes. They also report being drawn to media, styles, hobbies and traditions originating from these historical periods and express strong beliefs that new technologies should incorporate ideas and design elements from these eras. And they find historical nostalgia useful for managing the stress of modern life and anxiety about the future. Their engagement with the historical past isn’t merely passive consumption, but instead reflects an active and creative endeavor to develop their own sense of self, cultivate cultural literacy, seek out shared stories and intergenerational bonds, and explore innovative ways to improve life in the present and build a better future.
If local news leaders want to make meaningful inroads with younger generations, they should seek to understand their nostalgia-fueled fascination with history and recognize that empirical research challenges popular characterizations of nostalgia as regressive and historical interest as primarily the domain of older adults. When used appropriately, nostalgia can inspire community engagement, intergenerational dialogue and forward-thinking approaches to local storytelling that resonate deeply with younger audiences seeking both historical understanding and future-oriented hope.
Clay Routledge, PhD, is the Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute. As a leading expert in existential psychology, his work focuses on helping people reach their full potential and build meaningful lives. Follow his work @clayroutledge and subscribe to his newsletter, Flourishing Fridays.
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