In order for a time to be nostalgic, does one have to write the bad things out of their memory, or at least simply ignore them?

“Disregard” would be a better term than “ignore.”

Children are mostly not cognisant of the full spectrum of reality that exist around them, so any general fond memories an adult has of their childhood is inherently tainted.

Right. But as an adult looking back, @ragingloli, wouldn’t it be only fair to acknowledge things weren’t that rosy for others? I never had to deal with a relative coming home, beat to a bloody pulp because he used the wrong water fountain, or having my father shot down in the drive way for the crime of being black.
The town I grew up in wasn’t turned into a war zone for a time, like Selma was (and my ex has memories from that time. He was 10.)
Don’t we have to at least acknowledge that?

Why can’t you be thankful for your experience, while simultaneously acknowledging that others didn’t have it so nice? The same applies to the present. It’s possible to be happy with your life while working to eliminate the suffering of others.

I think what becomes problematic is when movements attach significance to an earlier time. These are often reactionary movements with distinct white nationalist, xenophobic, and misogynist elements that attempt to mythologize the past while scapegoating the most vulnerable as responsible for the current problems.

Not necessarily disregard or even suppress the things of which you were unaware. How can you be held accountable for such things? You were “privileged” in not knowing about those evils or even the possibility of “the wolf at the door” What lucky soul with a happy childhood would ever want to grow up?

No, I can be nostalgic without being idealistic.

It is an interesting contrast though, liking some things in a nostalgic way, yet knowing things I really dislike/disapprove about them, too.

Come away oh human child
To the waters and the wild
With a faery hand in hand
For the world’s more full of weeping
Than you can understand.

W B Yeats

There was never a time in history, where everyone was happy. Wars, famine, disease, genocide, oppression, rape, murder etc have been a constant. They matter most when they are in our proximity.

I think the point of nostalgia, is to look back at mainly the positives. One simply cannot be foolish enough to recreate only the perceived good times. We should be thankful for the good times, but be mindful enough to understand that what you recall is seen through a prism of your life’s circumstances…

I think it depends on what part of that time in your life you liked and why you liked it. In the case you give of your own life, it might be that you miss the times when you were more innocent and carefree. Nothing wrong with feeling nostalgic about that. It is your old brain that is going back and trying to superimpose your current views onto your childhood that is causing your question, I think. Looking back, through the filter of your current thinking, you see things that you now think were wrong. As a child, did you care about racism? Probably not. Why are you trying to run yourself down for not having adult thoughts or feelings when you were a child?

“Why can’t you be thankful for your experience, while simultaneously acknowledging that others didn’t have it so nice.” I think we can do exactly that @notnotnotnot. But I do think it’s important as an adult TO acknowledge that. The MAGA thing is a good example.
For many (whites, esp male) it means going back to the 60’s, and they can’t see past their own personal halcyon view of that time. Do they really want those days back?

@seawulf575 . I don’t think anyone is mad at themselves for being ignorant of bad things when they were younger. Just trying to put in perspective that when they were living in pretty good times, there were plenty of people suffering. So. Wanting the good ol’ days back for some is like wanting all of the negative aspects of said time period too. Females, and minorities may see the way they were treated as what some consider “great.” Whilst one shouldn’t necessarily feel bad that they had it good, they should not desire to put so many people back into such hard times…

I don’t agree that wanting the good old days back is like wanting all of the negative aspects….we want it like we remembered it and there were no negative aspects (for spoiled white girls like me.)
As an adult looking back now, though, we have to realize we can’t have one without the other. Therefore it is wrong to want to go back to that. It is selfish to want to go back to that.

Well. That’s the point. It’s selfish to want to go back to that…..

I’m nostalgic for the past, I was little and lived next door to my grandparents and my great-grandparents. I was able to run to both of their houses without leaving our little block in a very bad neighborhood in California. I loved when my cousins lived with my grandma and I was able to play with them everyday. Now, I know they were there because they were removed from my aunt and uncle’s custody and we had gates in the fences of our yards so we didn’t have to walk on the street and get robbed/kidnapped/shot at. Even knowing what I know now I can still feel nostalgic without feeling guilty about it. @Dutchess_III we want it like we remembered it, but I don’t think it’s guilty or selfish to fondly remember things like that and wish you could relive those days because you were innocent or sheltered. I think it would be selfish if you thought everyone should want to relive the ‘60’s.

@ellespark oh, that’s a good point! ” I think it would be selfish if you thought everyone should want to relive the ‘60’s.” (Emphasis mine.) That is exactly what the MAGA people want, too.
I wish we could have the economy of the 60s and 70s back.

@Dutchess_III Agreed. “Make America Great Again” But when was it great for everyone. We should be striving for better. MABD. Make America Better, Damnit.

There has never been a time when it was great for everyone. The closest we’ve come to that was during the Obama administration, IMO.

I like your slogan. Someone out there wanna make some blue hats with MABD on them? :D