I own a small piece that epitomizes the content of this piece. It is a majolica figurine of a woman in 17th century dress, complete with the big skirt and the high powdered wig. She is touching the head of a slave boy. Nostalgia for me comes when I think about my grandparents, whom I loved. That particular piece was in their display cabinet and I am fairly certain they did not think about the difficulty of what it shows - they had enough to deal with thinking about their own past, having survived two wars in Germany. Racism was never discussed, though I grew up in the time of desegregation of schools and race riots, not to mention the killing of MLK and others in the course of those fierce conflicts. My nostalgia reflects my love for my grandparents, but it is tempered by understanding that they were a product of their time and my time is different. The things we cling to are the ones that make us feel good. Haven’t we all, at some point in our lives, done something shameful? Chances are we don’t spend a lot of energy mulling that one over - we stick with what felt good. History is the same, but not dwelling on it doesn’t change it. And we need to grapple with our histories, personal and communal, if we want to grow and evolve for the better.
So much in the particulars of personal association, memory and our seeking paradigms for the security, stability and comforts organic life doesn't offer. Thank you for thinking so clearly and out loud Rev DBB.
Correction in pulling the superb post-script from your well-received book:
"In April 2008, Matthew Felling of WMAU radio in Washington, D.C., interviewed Dr. Gordon Livingston, a psychiatrist who, for more than thirty years, has been studying human happiness. Felling asked the predictable question: “What is it? What makes people happy?”
That Washington DC station at American University is WAMU, now providing the feed to NPR for our week-night Oregon Public Broadcasting 9 PM Public Affairs hour titled 1A and hosted by Jenn White. Less of Neo-Liberal\Neo-E-CON-omic indoctrination spin on news of the nation and world than the previous NPR (National Public Relations) feed...
Keep on doing
Health and balance
hazmat suited hugs all around with elbow bumps akimbo
Tio Mitchito\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers
Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of Atonement Seekers)
The greatest and maybe subtlest example of militant nostalgia is the "Lost Cause" myth that Southern women put forth after the Civil War. The south lost the war but they won the PR campaign,
It sort of depends on what kind of nostalgia. Latin, fluffy silk vestments, olde English prayers, Organs only, distance pews, roods screens to fence off royalty???
Very welcome are inspirational non-rambling preaching, fervent and prayerful liturgy, simple forms for texts and hymns, various instruments accompaniment, Close seating in smaller buildings where no one is left far away due to wealth or color or birth or status.
Very thoughtful essay. I heard the lyrics of the 1859 song by Daniel Decatur Emmett, (who, unsurprisingly performed it in blackface..)--"I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten: Look away Look away! Look away, Dixie Land." That shameful nostalgia still survives.
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook: "'Nostalgia is the enemy of hope.'
Gordon Livingston, psychiatrist writing on happiness. Cited by Diana Bass."
His posting led me to look for, find, and read your article. This was my reply to him:
Kathleen Anne Denman (me)
I, too, read the article and the "inspiration" for the article which was an interview with Gordon Livingston from 2008, in which he states that one of the keys to happiness is having a "realistic sense of history", seeing the past on its own terms and not through the "romantic gaze" of nostaligia. In that context, it makes sense that he would say that nostalgia and hope are enemies. Diana Butler Bass was discussing what she called "militant nostalgia" which as was noted above "does not always recognize that the past was full of pain, brutality and failure." Nostalgia (literally "home pain") was considered an illness and its origins as a word are based in that meaning. In the early 20th century, nostalgia's meaning and usage transformed from an "illness" to a "longing" for home and the familiar in terms of one's culture and heritage; and that is still its current definition and usage. The "algia" pain is still there in the longing. Unfortunately, in my observation, it seems that the majority of people today interpret the 'pain' of nostalgia to mean that we must return to the way things were in order to relieve that pain. The error of this interpetation lies not in nostalgia itself but in thinking that all pain must be relieved! Nostalgia and hope do not need to be enemies. They represent two points on the ends of life's spectrum that sometimes must be allowed to come together in the midst of life, giving context, focus, and forward direction to my present experience. It is when on life's journey, because of the pain they cause, nostalgia and hope are not allowed to come together to inform, focus, and direct forward that they become enemies and thus destructive of truth, relationships, and life itself.
This is such a lovely line. As someone who writes history, this struck me particularly. "History teaches us that we can hold our own memories with more honestly and welcome the memories of others with curiosity, humility, and imagination." Thank you, Diana.
Whenever someone in my hearing yearns for “the good old days” I like to respond “you mean the good old days (daze!) when men went to play golf while their wives gave birth?” 😜
Nostalgia is the death note of the future if so many choose to live in the past - a glory seen by them. Living into today while creating and dreaming of a future of more compassion, caring, and 'good' for all is best for everyone - the past is over and gone - today and tomorrow is all we have - let's make it the best possible time.
Militant Nostalgia
Thank you very helpful
I own a small piece that epitomizes the content of this piece. It is a majolica figurine of a woman in 17th century dress, complete with the big skirt and the high powdered wig. She is touching the head of a slave boy. Nostalgia for me comes when I think about my grandparents, whom I loved. That particular piece was in their display cabinet and I am fairly certain they did not think about the difficulty of what it shows - they had enough to deal with thinking about their own past, having survived two wars in Germany. Racism was never discussed, though I grew up in the time of desegregation of schools and race riots, not to mention the killing of MLK and others in the course of those fierce conflicts. My nostalgia reflects my love for my grandparents, but it is tempered by understanding that they were a product of their time and my time is different. The things we cling to are the ones that make us feel good. Haven’t we all, at some point in our lives, done something shameful? Chances are we don’t spend a lot of energy mulling that one over - we stick with what felt good. History is the same, but not dwelling on it doesn’t change it. And we need to grapple with our histories, personal and communal, if we want to grow and evolve for the better.
Well written, Diane! Thank you.
Thank you for this very thoughtful reflection & warning!
Excellent read! Thank you 🙏
So much in the particulars of personal association, memory and our seeking paradigms for the security, stability and comforts organic life doesn't offer. Thank you for thinking so clearly and out loud Rev DBB.
Correction in pulling the superb post-script from your well-received book:
"In April 2008, Matthew Felling of WMAU radio in Washington, D.C., interviewed Dr. Gordon Livingston, a psychiatrist who, for more than thirty years, has been studying human happiness. Felling asked the predictable question: “What is it? What makes people happy?”
That Washington DC station at American University is WAMU, now providing the feed to NPR for our week-night Oregon Public Broadcasting 9 PM Public Affairs hour titled 1A and hosted by Jenn White. Less of Neo-Liberal\Neo-E-CON-omic indoctrination spin on news of the nation and world than the previous NPR (National Public Relations) feed...
Keep on doing
Health and balance
hazmat suited hugs all around with elbow bumps akimbo
Tio Mitchito\Paradigm Sifters, Code Shifters, PsalmSong Chasers
Lay-Low Studios, Ore-Wa (Refuge of Atonement Seekers)
Media Discussion List\Looksee
Is there an address you could offer so I could forward a piece you’d appreciate, I’m sure…pdf file?
The greatest and maybe subtlest example of militant nostalgia is the "Lost Cause" myth that Southern women put forth after the Civil War. The south lost the war but they won the PR campaign,
It sort of depends on what kind of nostalgia. Latin, fluffy silk vestments, olde English prayers, Organs only, distance pews, roods screens to fence off royalty???
Very welcome are inspirational non-rambling preaching, fervent and prayerful liturgy, simple forms for texts and hymns, various instruments accompaniment, Close seating in smaller buildings where no one is left far away due to wealth or color or birth or status.
Very thoughtful essay. I heard the lyrics of the 1859 song by Daniel Decatur Emmett, (who, unsurprisingly performed it in blackface..)--"I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten: Look away Look away! Look away, Dixie Land." That shameful nostalgia still survives.
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook: "'Nostalgia is the enemy of hope.'
Gordon Livingston, psychiatrist writing on happiness. Cited by Diana Bass."
His posting led me to look for, find, and read your article. This was my reply to him:
Kathleen Anne Denman (me)
I, too, read the article and the "inspiration" for the article which was an interview with Gordon Livingston from 2008, in which he states that one of the keys to happiness is having a "realistic sense of history", seeing the past on its own terms and not through the "romantic gaze" of nostaligia. In that context, it makes sense that he would say that nostalgia and hope are enemies. Diana Butler Bass was discussing what she called "militant nostalgia" which as was noted above "does not always recognize that the past was full of pain, brutality and failure." Nostalgia (literally "home pain") was considered an illness and its origins as a word are based in that meaning. In the early 20th century, nostalgia's meaning and usage transformed from an "illness" to a "longing" for home and the familiar in terms of one's culture and heritage; and that is still its current definition and usage. The "algia" pain is still there in the longing. Unfortunately, in my observation, it seems that the majority of people today interpret the 'pain' of nostalgia to mean that we must return to the way things were in order to relieve that pain. The error of this interpetation lies not in nostalgia itself but in thinking that all pain must be relieved! Nostalgia and hope do not need to be enemies. They represent two points on the ends of life's spectrum that sometimes must be allowed to come together in the midst of life, giving context, focus, and forward direction to my present experience. It is when on life's journey, because of the pain they cause, nostalgia and hope are not allowed to come together to inform, focus, and direct forward that they become enemies and thus destructive of truth, relationships, and life itself.
This is such a lovely line. As someone who writes history, this struck me particularly. "History teaches us that we can hold our own memories with more honestly and welcome the memories of others with curiosity, humility, and imagination." Thank you, Diana.
Whenever someone in my hearing yearns for “the good old days” I like to respond “you mean the good old days (daze!) when men went to play golf while their wives gave birth?” 😜
Diana at her best!
Wise informative perspective. 🙏
Nostalgia is the death note of the future if so many choose to live in the past - a glory seen by them. Living into today while creating and dreaming of a future of more compassion, caring, and 'good' for all is best for everyone - the past is over and gone - today and tomorrow is all we have - let's make it the best possible time.