‘Retrogeist’: 50 Posts About The ’80s And ’90s That Show How Much The World Has Changed Since

"I was always a nostalgia buff, acting as a sort of human archive for my friends. I used to text them memes, music videos, and other fun content from the '80s/'90s, our childhood and teenage years," the founder of Retrogeist told Bored Panda about the roots of the project. "When Instagram started to gain popularity, I figured it could be a great platform to post all of this content, without driving my friends nuts with constant messaging. After a while, I had more followers than friends!"

We were curious to get the founder's thoughts on why nostalgia is such a big hit on the internet. "Kids who grew up in the '80s and '90s were the first generation to really enjoy the proliferation of entertainment mediums. Some of these channels were new experiences—the personal computer/home video game consoles; the GameBoy, a handheld gaming device; or a portable music player like the Walkman," they explained to us via email.

"We also had huge, global summer blockbusters, such as Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. So you had all this cool, new stuff to grow up with! However, what you, as a kid or teenager, didn't have was the ability to capture your real-life experiences. Film was expensive. Polaroid—even more! Most people only have family photos from specific events—vacations, birthdays, etc. How many of us took a picture of a sleepover where we played Super Mario Bros. all night? Not to mention taking a selfie while waiting in line to see the Goonies premiere."

According to the founder of the page, "Retrogeist gives people a glimpse of their childhood/teen years, of events they most likely don't have any tangible, visual memory of. Given that, I often wonder if my 9-year-old son, who's growing up in an all-digital world, would have the same nostalgic feelings for this era when he's all grown up. Maybe the magic would be gone..."

The founder of Retrogeist said that nostalgia taps into a basic emotional need. "It can give people a sort of warm 'high,' mentally taking them back to a time they grasp as innocent and simple." However, some folks can get lost in that feeling. "People who are caught in today's ever-going rat race may get obsessed with that feeling. So just remember, kids—time is a one-way street!" they quipped.

"Since I started Retrogeist, I have connected with numerous interesting and talented people. There are so many creators who come up with new takes on '80s and '90s visuals and music! I really enjoy reading all the comments and ongoing discussions that are taking place on the page and I think we have an amazing community! So, if you're a Retrogeist follower and reading this—thanks!"

The ‘Retrogeist’ project has quite a following over on Instagram. A massive 243k internet users follow the account on the social media page to get their freshest dose of old-timey goodness. For many of you Pandas reading this, the ‘80s and ‘90s might seem like the recent past.

However, for the newest generations, those two decades may seem like a very far way off. And when you look at the tech, products, and fashion of those days, it does seem like a lifetime ago.

Like nearly everything on Planet Earth, nostalgia has both its upsides and downsides. Reliving positive memories and thinking about what things used to be like can energize you and give you the tenacity to push through tough times in the present. All of that optimism and motivation can be really helpful.

WebMD notes that nostalgia can even affect how we behave in the present. For example, people are more likely to exercise more if they’re optimistic about their physical health, based on their own experiences in the past. What’s more, nostalgia can push you to (re)connect with folks you cared about in the past and may even inspire you to embrace creativity. 

So in measured doses, missing the past can be just the boost that you need to get out of a slump. However, too much nostalgia might come back to bite you. If you’re constantly missing decades past, sincerely believing that the present doesn’t measure up at all, then you’re likely to reduce your quality of life. Not only that, you may become cynical and miss great opportunities because you’re longing for a different time.

It’s actually possible to start missing things far too soon. According to Harley Therapy, there’s a phenomenon called anticipatory nostalgia where people start missing things before they’re even over. And that can lead to lots of (unnecessary) anxiety, sadness, and worry. Anticipatory nostalgia can eventually morph into anxiety about the future.

Meanwhile, there’s a large difference between passive and active nostalgia. When people consciously make an effort to think about past events, this can help elevate their moods. However, the opposite is true for individuals that are reminded of the past randomly or unconsciously shift their focus to the good old days every single day.

Harley Therapy notes that some of the unhealthy thought patterns linked to nostalgia include rumination, when someone repetitively focuses on distressing thoughts, looking at all the possible little causes and consequences. Depressed individuals also tend to relive the past, judging themselves, feeling guilty, and hating themselves for what happened. 

On the whole, people are nostalgic for those times in their lives when they felt happy, free, powerful, healthy, and had fewer responsibilities to deal with. In short, you’re very likely to want to go back to a time when you were full of optimism rather than stress. Often, that’s why folks are nostalgic for their childhoods. However, if they had an awful time growing up, they might feel drawn to a different decade—perhaps when they were teenagers or even young adults.

Which of these pics and memes did you enjoy the most, dear Pandas? Did you get a sudden rush of nostalgia after seeing them, like we did? Would you go back to the ‘80s and ‘90s if you could? What other time periods do you miss the most and why? We’d really love to hear your thoughts on this, so consider leaving a comment and joining in the discussion.