Gen Z craves the magic of the '80s and '90s
We’re nostalgic for decades that help us escape from reality
“People always want what they can’t have.”
I say this quote every day in my head, and it makes sense, especially for someone who is a part of gen Z. As soon as I got a hold of the digital world, I was deeply immersed in a place that felt like home — the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Gen Z is nostalgic for eras we never lived through because it feels more like home than what we have now. The ‘80s and ‘90s seemed so calm — people didn’t have to worry about AI taking their jobs or not affording a home.
In this day and age, gen Z has all of that and more.
Young people dream of previous decades because life is too stressful and expensive. Looking back on time offers a moment of respite to escape reality.
The ‘80s and ‘90s take us back to a simpler time. My parents were in their early 20s in the ‘90s, so I grew up hearing stories about being a teenager back then.
My mom lived on a farm with every animal you can think of. She didn’t have the distraction of a phone. She lived for every moment of every day.
Unlike the living-in-the-moment life my mom grew up in, most young people are constantly using their phones. It’s as much part of our world as breathing.
We waste so much time on social media, and time wooshes by. We forget to live slower in a world that’s always moving.
While we cannot physically travel back to the past, we can bring aspects of that era to us. The infamous “Rachel” haircut popularized by Jennifer Aniston’s character in the hit TV show Friends and ‘90s fashion gets our lives closer to the retro feeling we desire.
When I listen to music from the ‘90s, like Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” or “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears, I feel more connected to that decade. Older music feels more original compared to the albums of today.
Dressing up in Spears’ schoolgirl outfit from her music video and screaming along to her lyrics gives us the fun and peace we all crave from time to time.
So, why does gen Z crave bittersweet memories of time past? I’d say, let us reminisce in peace before we have to return to reality. And thank you, Whitney Houston.
