Looking Back: Implementing The Past Into The Present

Browsing through old photos, searching Pinterest for "60's fashion", and gaining comfort in a Nirvana album are all forms of "Looking Back." Reflecting on the past (whether it be accomplishments or mistakes), obtaining inspiration, and finding solace in a photo of a departed loved one are all actions many humans find themselves being apart of. So what is it about the past that intrigues us so much, so much in fact that we keep coming back to it-recycling fashions, hearing about the same scandals in the news, and honoring the words of someone long gone? Is it the feeling of being close to a loved one who experienced the same music, movies, and fashion as a teenager? Or is it the feeling that we are not "mainstream" when we harness the past? Confucius once said: "study the past, if you would divine the future," informing us that the past, whether it be good or bad does have an effect and impact on our future. 

It is no secret by now that "history repeats its self", in many forms: trends/fashion styles, music production, and historical happenings. In fact, we see history everywhere nowadays; without even really noticing it, for example: That Inkwell filter on Instagram you use so religiously is actually how photos were made in the olden days (without the effects of an app), and the high wasted shorts that are so "spot on for summer" are merely a copy cat version of the ever so popular "hot pants" of the 60's, oh and sorry to break it to you, but Lana Del Rey's fresh "new" sound is nothing new to those who truly know music. So you see, we live in a world that is constantly being revamped in all aspects, and as my grandma would say a world where "everything comes back around." 

Feeling nostalgic is normal for any human being, and the art of honoring the past is something I think we must do for multiple reasons: one, to never lose sight of our past: whether it be family genealogy, cultural practices and rituals, or our nations history, but two: to make sure that the negatives and or failures of the past are acknowledged, improved, or never repeated again.

Photos heavily edited to look "old school" have been blowing up all over the internet thanks to apps such as Rookie that help to put "vintage" filters photographs.

Many will say "don't look back" when it comes to past relationships, unfavorable events, or perhaps just the past in itself, but "looking back" is imperative in human life, because in order to make progress, you must first acknowledge and respect the past. So now, it seems the question is not "what is it about the past that intrigues us so much," but rather: "how do we implement the past into the present?" Well, we read our history books, become familiar with the way our country gained independence, research every trend from the 40's-90's and find a way to bring it back and work it into our everyday wardrobe with the hopes of being labeled as "retro" or "hipster", gain knowledge from the wise words of the worlds great philosophers, but most importantly, we Look Back.