They say that the longer you live in the past, the less future you have to enjoy. This sounds both profound and presumably true, but when it comes down to it, we all live in the past far more than we should. There is nothing wrong with the occasional stroll down memory lane to reminisce over a certain night out with friends, vacation, or relationship that has run its natural course. But does it ever end? When focusing on past events or experiences turns into a common occurrence, it becomes questionable as to whether we are capable of moving on from both the good times in life and the bad.
As millennials, we are taught, almost unconsciously, how to be stuck in the past. Perhaps it’s through conversations with our parents and grandparents, who tend to casually sneak in the famous “When I was your age...” clause. As we grow older, maybe we take after them and employ the same tactic on those younger than we are, not to give advice but to go back to a chapter in life that should have already been closed.
Well, when we are of our parents and grandparents age and tell stories about our past, we will surely mention how social media dictated our lives, which is a driving factor of why so many get stuck living in the memories. This cycle is driven by the giant social media platforms that have sprung into our lives and refuse to leave. We can’t even log onto Facebook for a quick visit without seeing an embarrassing photo, status, or interaction from years ago right at the top of our feeds. Instagram’s most popular hashtag #tbt exists solely because of the idea that one day each week should be dedicated remembering a past part of our lives. Twitter has seen countless users sign and circulate online petitions fighting to bring popular shows from 20 years ago back to airwaves.
Maybe I feel only this way because as a 22-year-old and soon-to-be college graduate, this period of my life is said to be a stressful rollercoaster otherwise known as young adulthood. We’re led to believe that it is better to focus on everything leading up to this moment, because it all goes downhill from here, rather than embrace the present and see what life has in store. I can’t say if this trend will eventually fizzle out, but I sure hope that people become aware of how often they dwell on the past and see it as a hinderance to their future.
