If German citizens could freely choose whether to live in the past or the future, two-thirds (661,130) would opt for the past. Compared to 20 years ago, the desire to live in the past has thus increased significantly (2006: 481,130). This is the finding of the latest study by the non-profit BAT Foundation for Future Issues, for which more than 2,000 German citizens aged 18 and over were surveyed in a representative sample.
Why looking back predominates
The longing for the past stems primarily from its familiarity. The past is known, while the future remains uncertain. "Accordingly, many citizens associate the past with greater social, financial, and personal security," explains Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt, the scientific director of the BAT Foundation. In this respect, he sees the result primarily as a reaction to a present characterized by rapid change and uncertainty.
In retrospect, the past thus becomes a counterpoint to the present: more manageable, more supportive, and less prone to crises. For Reinhardt, this is an understandable mechanism. When external circumstances seem uncertain, people often seek refuge in familiar things that have given them a sense of security in the past. This is precisely what current nostalgia and retro trends tap into: whether knitting or old game consoles, bread baking, allotment gardens, vinyl records, or other analog things – they all bring back a piece of a familiar world and provide orientation and emotional security.
The term nostalgia historically originates from the Greek and can be roughly translated as "homesickness-pain." Nostalgic feelings can play a stabilizing role, especially during times of stress, loneliness, and societal crises. Looking back helps to restore meaning, familiarity, and inner security.
Nostalgia is not a sign of backwardness. It can act as a protective buffer when the present is perceived as burdensome and the future as difficult to predict. Those who remember familiar values, places, or things not only gain distance but often also regain the inner order necessary for taking the next step.
Perception and reality don't always match up.
At the same time, a gap is emerging between objective progress and subjective expectations for the future. Whether it's medical care, education, mobility, freedom of expression, or the declining infant mortality rate: noticeable improvements have occurred in numerous areas of life. In everyday life, however, these achievements often fade into the background amidst crises, conflicts, and negative news. Progress is therefore rarely perceived as a continuous upward trend, but rather overshadowed by new problems. Many citizens recognize the potential, but doubt that it will directly lead to a better life. The tendency toward nostalgia thus stems not merely from a romanticized view of the past, but points to a palpable deficit in the present. The findings make it clear: optimism for the future requires trust, orientation, and the feeling of being able to actively shape one's own situation.
Reinhardt concludes: „A glimmer of hope lies in the function of looking back itself: The longing for yesterday does not necessarily mean stagnation, but often an attempt to draw inner security for future tasks. If it is possible to link this need for reliability with viable perspectives and social cohesion, then confidence for the future can grow out of nostalgia.“.
