The Noon of Nostalgic Notions

I am feeling quite nostalgic today. Does nostalgia ever serve a purpose? Probably not. But is it like that scab that won’t let you leave it alone? A mirage that keeps tantalizing you to follow it? Yes.

Our mind tries to romanticize the past, especially when it knows we can never go back to it. Perhaps a grandparent’s house that you can never go back to, or an era that’s gone by? Any bad memories associated with that time are glossed over, and an idyllic version of that time is superimposed on the actual memories. This must be the reason why we are such unreliable narrators of our experiences.

So many things affect our experiences, from circumstances to our perceptions, moods, etc. Now, how does our mind decide which memory to keep from any particular circumstance? The more emotionally charged a situation is, the more likely it is to get registered in the archives of your brain. So if you hadn’t even noticed a certain thing at that time, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll retain that memory, though the brain would have logged it in the peripherals. Our brains are brilliant that way!

With nostalgia, we are, in a way, rewriting the script the way we desire. I hear a Spice Girls’ song and am transported to the era where I jived with my friends to those songs. None of the exam, school, or home-related stuff comes to the forefront. Eventually, those memories will fade, as depicted in the beautiful Disney-Pixar film Inside Out. What will remain is the Spice Girls song and my enjoyment because I just reinforced that memory.

Now, what’s the point of this monologue, you ask? Nothing much; I am simply using my nostalgic trips as an excuse to remind you of some classics that you must watch to go down memory lane and have some fun.

Disclaimer: Personal experiences are vastly diverse, so please don’t come at me if this isn’t relatable at all. (This is purely based out of my experiences and preferences.)

Let’s get back to the recommendations shall we?

• You want to feel like you’re in the 1970s?

View That ’70s Show. I will forever be charmed by this series. Even by the 90s standards, it seemed quite ahead of its time.

• Want to get your 80s fix?

Yup, you guessed it right: Stranger Things. I don’t remember much of this era on a personal level, but the phones, radios, and TVs do remind me of simpler times.

• Craving for that 90s high?

Ok, the era that literally opened up my country for new experiences and innovations Apart from the usual suspects such as computers, software, etc., the entertainment sector too had a boost, specifically Indian pop music! I still remember awkwardly dancing to Alisha Chinai’s Made in India song in middle school. (Yes, I think it’s still one of the best Indian pop songs to come out of my country, and no, my mind can’t be changed about it.)

Sheesh, those were times when tribal dances and stadium exercises were part of our school routines. Buying cassettes of a medley of English songs, reading the lyric cards, and singing those songs horribly out-of-tune with your friends or cousins using the belan as a mic?

Yes, those were the days, and if you want to be tortured a bit by those memories, watch Derry Girls. No, seriously, watch it; I insist! Also, maybe we can have a Sister Michael fan club? No? Well, I had to try!

Every time they played a song in that series, my heart would skip a beat. From Boyzone and Backstreet Boys to Celine Dion, Spice Girls, Macarena, and Shania Twain, the squeeze-the-heart list was pretty long. Back home too, we were kept well-fed by the tunes that the Mozart of Madras was belting out, from Chinna chinna aasai to Chaiyya chaiyya, it was honestly a grand old time. Also, I haven’t even touched on the book side of the boom (Harry Potter, anyone?).

That era was my jam! Simple times with deep connections. I honestly don’t remember much after the 2000s, not because there were not memorable moments, but mainly because the impressions they made were not as deep as those made before the 2000s, and also because “I had to wise up!” as Sister Michael suggested.

Honestly, guys, now stop reading this (i.e., if any of you stragglers have managed to read it till here, thank you btw) and welcome your relaxing weekend with some doses of nostalgia with That 70’s Show, Stranger Things, Derry Girls, and much more.

Note: I am not sponsored by anybody to recommend these to you. (unfortunately, for me.)

Also, if you have any recommendations for similar amazing shows, feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’d love to hear about your favourite things from that era, whether it’s music, books, movies, or TV shows.

Millennials born after 2000 and other young ones needn’t feel left out. These shows may be as enjoyable for you as the 1970s show was for me. So do pitch in with your suggestions and thoughts.