The Inner Monologue

Ah, nostalgia. That warm, fuzzy blanket woven from selective memory, conveniently forgetting that the “good old days” also included dial-up internet, questionable fashion choices, and the crushing weight of societal expectations that would make a modern therapist weep.

Here’s the thing: every generation gets stuck. There’s always a sweet spot in adulthood where you finally feel like you’ve cracked the code—where the world makes sense, where your taste in music/movies/life is objectively correct, and where everyone younger than you is clearly doing it wrong.

For some, it’s the neon-soaked ‘80s. For others, the grunge-filled ‘90s. And soon, a whole generation will be pining for the halcyon days of 2016, when memes were fresh and we still had the illusion that democracy was stable. Congratulations, you’ve hit your Psychological Time Trap—the era your brain has decided was Peak Civilization.

How It Works:

1. The Illusion of Mastery – In your 30s and 40s, you finally feel like you’ve got this whole “adulting” thing down. Bills? Paid. Career? Semi-stable. Emotional baggage? Artfully arranged in a decorative trunk. You assume the world will now operate on your hard-earned wisdom forever.
2. The Betrayal – But then, the world keeps changing. New slang sounds like gibberish. Technology evolves faster than your patience. Suddenly, you’re the one squinting at a TikTok tutorial like it’s the goddamn Rosetta Stone.
3. The Retreat – Instead of adapting, you dig in. You declare modern music “noise,” modern movies “woke garbage,” and modern social norms “the end of decency.” You retreat into your Time Trap, where everything was better (read: where you were younger and the world made sense to you).

The Problem?

The world doesn’t owe you stagnation. Every generation’s golden age is another’s cringe era. The ‘50s had McCarthyism and leaded gasoline. The ‘70s had polyester and unchecked misogyny. The 2000s had frosted tips and a terrifying disregard for privacy.

Nostalgia is a liar. It edits out the bad and sells you a highlight reel. Meanwhile, progress keeps happening—sometimes messy, sometimes infuriating, but always inevitable.

How to Escape Your Time Trap:

• Admit you’re not the cultural authority. The kids are alright (even if you don’t get their vibes).
• Stay curious. The alternative is becoming that person who still complains about “the Facebook.”
• Accept that aging is mandatory; irrelevance is optional.

Or don’t. Stay grumpy. Clutch your DVDs and vinyl records. Yell at clouds. The future’s coming either way—with or without your approval.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go listen to my NSYNC CD and weep for a simpler time. 🎶