These comments were published by the American Press Institute in a roundtable for news organizations and local journalists.
At the American Press Institute, we often encourage news leaders to consider their role in helping communities share their diverse perspectives, life experiences and lessons to confront and solve common problems. We also see how that approach benefits the news industry itself — we can learn from organizations outside of traditional media that are taking different approaches to working in the same ecosystems and facing the same challenges.
This week we’re sharing insights from thought leaders connected to API Local News Summits, where alongside news leaders they explored ideas on embracing local identity and history to create value, the conditions for local civic discourse across generations, and how to collaborate with community members to steward a shared local information ecosystem together.
Look for transferable ideas and skills that can help you think about your local news ecosystem — and use this as a blueprint for engaging with experts in your community.
Clay Routledge, executive vice president and COO of the Human Flourishing Lab at Archbridge Institute, on why young people are drawn to nostalgia:
While individuals of all ages tend to feel nostalgic about their own past, younger generations are highly nostalgic for eras that predate their lifetimes.
- They 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.
- Their engagement with the historical past 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.
- 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 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Archbridge Institute, where he also leads the institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. As a thought leader in existential psychology and human motivation, Clay translates research into practical insights that help people reach their full potential, build meaningful lives, and advance human progress and flourishing. Dr. Routledge received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is co-editor of Profectus Magazine, an online publication dedicated to human progress and flourishing. He writes the weekly newsletter "Flourishing Friday."
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