Casimir

• Offline
• Germany

On the topic of that video essay of yours:
I think that a sentimental nostalgia is indeed a form of escapism. Maybe not necessarily looking to return to the specific piece of media that triggers these emotions, but rather to return to a personal state of infinitely less responsibility and in the same vein of infinitely less majority. In my opinion, it is a feeling that in part at least gets triggered by the fact that real life as an adult is so often not even close to how you had imagined it to be as a child, but rather overwhelmingly complex. Life back then was (for most people) nearly not as complex. Neither were the games back then, or the TV shows or the movies or books. Because we weren't able to grasp their full complexity with our not yet fully developed minds. Things were subjectively easier because our lack of experience wouldn't let them be any more multi-layered and difficult.

And even though there looks to be extensive research on how the human brain excels in working through complex tasks and often actively seeks out complexity over simplicity - many of us still get drawn back into re-living easier and less complex times. Maybe because the adult complexity we are being faced with today more and more is not the type of complexity that once single brain is capable of tackling? Maybe because the complexity and the problems it gives us to "solve" have grown exponentially together with everything else? It's a thought I haven't yet finished.

EDIT: I acknowledge your connection between nostalgia and fascist movements. What could be more liberating from ANY responsibility than subscribing to a single person or a single movement completely and then "just following orders"? It frees the individual from ANY complexity. Everything becomes black and white, all answers become as simple as they could possibly be.

Heh, I had to do a double take on that name. Glad to hear from you! Cheers aus Frankfurt~

The spotlight power shall be able to revive this!

You know what? I'm in.

dont let the door hit you on the way out

Hm.

I haven't been active in a long time, but I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to both Liam and CC9 for having taken on so many aspects of managing this rather extraordinary group of retro game nerds that we happen to be.

Thank you very much, both of you.