Nostalgia: A force for good, but a double-edged sword?
One expert calls it the “sweet imagination of the past when the present is found wanting”, while others describe it as a “warm fuzzy feeling” or a “hipster heritage impulse”.
Whatever one calls the wave of nostalgia that has swept across the island, this phenomenon, which has been accentuated by the social media explosion, is unlikely to go away any time soon. And there are implications for policymakers beyond the clamour for buildings and areas to be preserved, such as the rise of socio-cultural clashes, the experts noted.
“Nostalgia is the gentle narcotic for a bruised soul. It can be canned and sold. Look at the National Museum’s replicating of childhood games — there is an audience and market for it,” said Dr Terence Chong, a senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. “There is a fetish for nostalgia out there.”
related:
- Preserving memories of a changing nation
- Longing for the good old days
- Preserving memories of a changing nation
- Nostalgia - A force for good, but a double-edged sword?
- Tiong Bahru: A hip and miss affair
- Shops, museums in Katong seek to preserve Peranakan culture
- Town of firsts contemplates modernity
- Balestier’s vintage shops hold on to fading trade
- Heritage buildings given new lease of life
- Newer structures shaping Singapore’s identity too
- Old brands, new strategies
- Businesses stay loyal to their roots
- Singapore’s sporting greats
- Sports - Young guns make their mark
- Sports - It’s all in the delivery
- The A to Z of S’pore’s arts and entertainment scene
- The future of S’pore’s arts and entertainment scene
- An interactive map featuring our readers' favourite memories about S'pore
Longing for the good old days
Coleman Bridge and the Hill Street Police Station. Photo: National Heritage Board
Three months ago, behind closed doors, participants at an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) event had a discussion with members of the Government’s much-vaunted machinery to anticipate wild cards and black swans — the latter a buzz phrase among civil servants these days, referring to unpredictable and rare occurrences that nevertheless have great impact.
On the agenda were sousveillance — or the watching of the Government by the general population — and the impact of automation on jobs. But the group was also trying to dissect and make sense of another trend: A longing for the good old days.
“The sense of nostalgia among Singaporeans seems to have become more pervasive ... Singaporeans are finding new ways to build the community ties that characterised kampung life and mobilising to preserve green spaces and heritage buildings that provide a link to the past,” read the synopsis for the IPS session, organised for its corporate associates and featuring some members of the Government’s Strategic Futures Network.
related:
