Picture this. You are eight years old waking up to a beautiful snowy day without a care in the world. Your naive brain does not shed a thought about the effects of pollution on the environment or the price of gas. You only worry about what flavor donut you are going to get or who gets to go down the slide first at recess.

Now, you are 17 years old and a high school student who has to worry about finals and plans for your future. 

You begin to look back on your youth and reminisce. 

Back in 2016, life was good— it was great.

What an odd thought to have, since there are plenty of scientific developments happening now too; so why do we look at our past through rose-colored lenses? Why do we always compare the present to the past when they are so insanely different?

In 2016, there were overwhelming terrorist attacks and intensifying political division, but we often focus on the medical breakthroughs and light-hearted cultural moments. 

So why do we choose to neglect the disheartening events that happened over a decade ago?

From a psychological perspective, this is most likely due to the phenomenon of hindsight bias and our tendency as humans to romanticize our history.

We often remember the highlights and forget the boredom and fear that once controlled our lives like they do now. The present is often deemed as nerve-wrecking, making the past feel calm. We are already aware of the consequences of past mistakes, so it seems safer and simpler.

This is commonly seen in relationships: the past frequently feels superior since nostalgia erases memories of conflict. As we continue to grow and age, we remember how someone made us feel happy and open rather than the full reality of the relationship’s struggles. Since past relationships no longer require that strenuous effort, they seem simpler than the unfinished present.

Back in 2016, were we just naive children who did not know any better and were enjoying life as it came to us? Or were we actually just sheltered and unaware?

There are still plenty of positive factors of our current lives that we should focus on while, of course, keeping in mind the negative aspects of our society without harping on them.

If we instill this positive mindset now, pleasant outcomes are likely to follow and give future generations something positive to look back on in a decade from now.