The Tylt
It’s no secret that nostalgia has dominated trends for the past few years. Gen Z and Millennials delightfully gobble up each new show reboot and reintroduction of vintage products, keeping items such as record players on store shelves way past obsolescence. Some see this craze as a sign of immaturity, with younger generations prolonging their childhood as a means of evasion. Yet Gen Z and Millennials tout it as a point of pride.
In light of an article published by the New York Post calling childless Millennial adults going to Disney “weird,” The Tylt directly asked audiences if they found this sentiment to be true. An overwhelming 97.1 percent voted #DisneyForAll, including those childless Millennials the op ed piece labelled as strange. These numbers—a near 100-percent lean toward one side—are unheard of in most polls. That, by nature, makes it indicative; if 2,770 people flocked to one debate to cast a majority vote, it’s obviously a topic they’re both passionate about and protective over.
And this isn’t the only nostalgia-related debate with such telling numbers. In “Which ‘90s sitcom do you want to come back: ‘Seinfeld’ or ‘Friends’?”, the latter received over 93.4 percent of user votes (sorry, Jerry). Nostalgia even wins out when some old technology is concerned. Although nostalgia is by no means a guarantee to drive sales, over 72.3 percent of Tylt readers would be willing to buy a re-released version of the iconic Nokia brick phone.
So, what’s behind this nostalgia mania, if not the evasion of adulthood? Well, one could argue that Gen Z and Millennials—discontent and wary of the future—look to happier times they can trust. A time without outrageous international occurrences or the pressure of pervasive technology. Nostalgia isn’t an escape; it’s a means of staying sane.
There’s comfort in going back to what you know. Gen Z and Millennials are simply seeking foundation on increasingly shaky grounds. Others would do well to address their concerns as opposed to accusing younger generations of self-inflicted infantilism. Underestimating an entire people has never served humanity well.
