Answer this -->
Which is your favourite movie?
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Now answer this -->
Which is/are your favourite song/(s)/genre/band?
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I asked this question to 20 people in the past week and saw a pattern. People love the stuff they watched when they were younger.
Was your answer something that you might have heard/seen or watched between the ages of 12-22 too?
You are not alone. This is all of us. We love the music, art, and films that we consumed as teenagers. And will forever.
This is neural nostalgia.
What is it?
Moments (especially music) we encounter as young adults are remembered in the most significant ways in our minds. There are critical neurological and psychological reasons why this happens – something to do with dopamine nerve receptors and a growing, forming mind and body. Simply put, it is a time when everything in life feels important and most positive memories are closely remembered.
What is fascinating is that “this isn’t just a cultural phenomenon: It’s a neuronic command. And no matter how sophisticated our tastes might otherwise grow to be, our brains may stay jammed on those songs we obsessed over during the high drama of adolescence.” – Mark Stern, Neural Nostalgia.
That does not mean we won’t have current favourites or new attractions ever – but those will have intellectual, rationalized leanings and might not hold the same value as the ones we call our "forever favourite". There is a reason for this rhyme. ;)
Brand strategists, writers, advertisers, comedians and journalists ride on this psychological trait of human beings. Any content or material that alludes to the past and especially your young adult years hits a home run. This is why engineering/college related jokes feel too funny. It's a cheat code.
DJs use this cheat code too. In a room full of 30-year-olds, music from 10-15 years back is the safest bet. No one will hate it.. mostly.
So what I am saying is.. don’t judge others (or yourself) for loving something too cheesy or unintellectual and calling it your favourite.
Cuz Backstreet's back alright!
If you like reading Rhyme & Reason, tell your friends about it. Or grandma. Or the neighbour's dog. I'll take anything. Send them this link: