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Anemoia, also known as vicarious nostalgia, historical nostalgia, fauxstalgia, or nowstalgia, is a form of aspirational nostalgia for a period of time that one did not personally experience. It is often evoked through romanticized depictions of the past, which reflect the belief that society is becoming worse and that the past was better. The concept has frequently been discussed frequently in relation to Millennials and Generation Z, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2]
Etymology
[edit]The term was coined in 2012 by John Koenig for his word-construction project, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, where it was defined as "nostalgia for a time you've never known."[3]
The term comes from Ancient Greek ἄνεμος (ánemos, “wind”) + -oia, extracted from -noia in loanwords like paranoia.
Cultural manifestations
[edit]Anemoia has been associated with a variety of cultural trends that idealize or recreate earlier historical periods. These manifestations often draw on media, fashion, music, technology, and design to evoke emotional connections to eras that many participants never experienced firsthand.
Millenials and Generation Z, which are often discussed in relation to anemoia, feel most nostalgic for the 1980s, especially because of media from that decade, as well as the popularity of period piece media set in the 1980s.[4][5][2] Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill" became immensely popular among Gen Z in 2022, after its appearance in an episode of the television series Stranger Things, which is set in the 1980s. The song's popularity is widely noted as an example of anemoia among Gen Z.[4] In 2022, Spotify said that Generation Z are more nostalgic for the 1980s than for other decades, based on data from their young listeners.[1][6]
Tom van Laer (University of Sydney) and Davide Christian Orazi (Monash University) described the effect of Stranger Things on Generation Z as "pseudo nostalgia",[7] but Charles Fairchild (University of Sydney) disputes that concept and label.[4] In Japan, nostalgia for the Shōwa era (1926–1989) and its media is particularly common among Generation Z.[8]
Generation Z also feels nostalgic for older aesthetics which reflect the tastes of other time periods, such as cottagecore, Frutiger Aero, and the Y2K aesthetic. Anemoia has also been manifested as a renewed interest in older technology, such as vinyl records, cassette tapes, analog cameras, CRT televisions, and retro videogames, and an increase in hobbies like knitting, gardening, and fishing.[9] Vintage clothing, such as cardigans and clothes featuring floral patterns, has also been growing in popularity among Millennial and Generation Z consumers.[10]
In popular culture
[edit]- SG Lewis' third studio album was named after the concept of anemoia. In an Instagram post, he stated that the album explored his fascination with musical and cultural periods he never experienced firsthand, describing the album as "the aural projection of that dream" and saying that he wants it to "accompany the moments of today, so that one day people might look back and feel Anemoia about what we experience right now."[11]
- The lead track in Hatchie's third studio album, Liquorice, is titled "Anemoia" and explores the concepts of anemoia and declinism.
- The 2023 film Anemoia, starring Arielle Prepetit, was screened at the 2024 Nashville Film Festival. It centers on a world, accessible by the main character's stationary bike, where her insecurities manifest as 1950s housewives.[12]
- The ninth track in Tarja Turunen's 2026 studio album Frisson Noir is named "Anemoia". It is a metaphor for the concept, with "Anemoia" being portrayed as a distant, romanticized wonderland.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Arana, Ixone (2023-10-14). "Modern nostalgia: Why do young people ache for a past they never lived?". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ a b January 10, Ashley Reese |; 2022 | 3:30pm. "Why Are Some Zoomers So Wistful For the '80s?". Jezebel. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows". Tumblr. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ a b c Divola, Barry (2022-08-05). "They weren't even born, so why is Gen Z nostalgic for the '80s?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ Cleal, Olivia (2022-10-09). "Kate Bush and mullets: Why young people love a decade they weren't alive for". 7NEWS. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ Spotify. Culture Next: Volume 4: 2022 Global Trend Report.
- ^ Orazi, Davide Christian; Laer, Tom van (2022-07-10). "It's not nostalgia. Stranger Things is fuelling a pseudo-nostalgia of the 1980s". The Conversation. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ "令和に復刻した「昭和レトロ」にZ世代も昭和世代もメロメロ！その理由は？" [The "Showa Retro" style revived in the Reiwa era has captivated both Generation Z and the Showa generation! What's the reason?]. AERA DIGITAL（アエラデジタル） (in Japanese). 2024-09-21. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ "Why Gen Z is taking up boomer hobbies". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ "Why buying vintage clothes is 'the new luxury'". www.bbc.com. 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ^ "2024 Nashville Film Festival". nashfilmfest2024.eventive.org. Retrieved 2026-07-31.