Comments on: Neuroscience and Nostalgia http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/ The hidden biology behind everything you do Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:11:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Steph Wells http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/comment-page-1/#comment-339 Steph Wells Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:32:19 +0000 http://veryevolved.com/?p=358#comment-339 Nostalgia for me is conjured up through visuals, I'm only 20 years old but if I look at knitting patterns from the 50's or old photographs I get a sense of nostalgia. I think it’s a wanting for me, I want to have memories of traditions past down and the feeling of being 'proper.' I live in England and I don’t know if it differs between different countries but roses, cobbled streets and old jazz music makes me feel like I should have been there in that time. Maybe there are varieties of nostalgia? This is a really interesting blog Cheers Steph Nostalgia for me is conjured up through visuals, I’m only 20 years old but if I look at knitting patterns from the 50′s or old photographs I get a sense of nostalgia. I think it’s a wanting for me, I want to have memories of traditions past down and the feeling of being ‘proper.’ I live in England and I don’t know if it differs between different countries but roses, cobbled streets and old jazz music makes me feel like I should have been there in that time. Maybe there are varieties of nostalgia?

This is a really interesting blog

Cheers

Steph

]]> By: Marie Tansley http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/comment-page-1/#comment-326 Marie Tansley Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:11:45 +0000 http://veryevolved.com/?p=358#comment-326 Hi, I am currently studying music productionat university and for my final project I am writing, performing and producing an EP. Each song on the EP will exist as a modern interpretation of a “Retro” musical style and will be shaped by extensively researching, reflecting upon and incorporating the vintage charm and "nostalgic" appeal of some of the musical genres, which have helped to define and inspire our times. Three of the questions I seek to answer are relevant to this post, therefore I was hoping to get a few opinions from you if you are interested? The questions are as follows: Is the emotional resonance conveyed by "retro" inspired music (Duffy/Amy Winehouse/LadyHawke) routed in art or commerce? What is the impact of these modern retro revivals on younger generations who may have little or no sentimental connection to the musical styles of the recent past? Is extended exposure to music from the past, the best way to keep it alive? I'm finding it very difficult to find any literature on the subject. Especially up to date and current information regarding the current music industry. If anybody would like to comment or could point me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful. Thank you, Marie Hi,

I am currently studying music productionat university and for my final project I am writing, performing and producing an EP. Each song on the EP will exist as a modern interpretation of a “Retro” musical style and will be shaped by extensively researching, reflecting upon and incorporating the vintage charm and “nostalgic” appeal of some of the musical genres, which have helped to define and inspire our times.

Three of the questions I seek to answer are relevant to this post, therefore I was hoping to get a few opinions from you if you are interested?

The questions are as follows:

Is the emotional resonance conveyed by “retro” inspired music (Duffy/Amy Winehouse/LadyHawke) routed in art or commerce?

What is the impact of these modern retro revivals on younger generations who may have little or no sentimental connection to the musical styles of the recent past?

Is extended exposure to music from the past, the best way to keep it alive?

I’m finding it very difficult to find any literature on the subject. Especially up to date and current information regarding the current music industry. If anybody would like to comment or could point me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you,

Marie

]]> By: Brian Paruch http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/comment-page-1/#comment-325 Brian Paruch Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:22:18 +0000 http://veryevolved.com/?p=358#comment-325 I agree that the neuroscience of music needs its own article. The reason I discovered this site is because I recently ran across a list of the top songs of 1976 (when I was three years old). I realized that many of the songs -- particularly the ones that haven't remained radio staples since then -- bring up a very strong, pleasant, but undefined, feeling of...nostalgia. (My parents' car, my grandmother's house, my old street, etc.) To some degree, I feel it for lots of things from the '70s and '80s (the era of my childhood), like everyone, I'm sure. But the stuff from 1976 and 1977...the feeling's just different, and when I pull up those songs on the web and listen to them, I can really get lost in that feeling. Does anyone know if there's something special about the age of three, and what's happening to the brain at that point as it relates to music? (I have a daughter who's almost two...but I wonder if the songs she likes now -- like the theme to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, for example, will even ring a bell when she's older.) I agree that the neuroscience of music needs its own article. The reason I discovered this site is because I recently ran across a list of the top songs of 1976 (when I was three years old). I realized that many of the songs — particularly the ones that haven’t remained radio staples since then — bring up a very strong, pleasant, but undefined, feeling of…nostalgia. (My parents’ car, my grandmother’s house, my old street, etc.) To some degree, I feel it for lots of things from the ’70s and ’80s (the era of my childhood), like everyone, I’m sure. But the stuff from 1976 and 1977…the feeling’s just different, and when I pull up those songs on the web and listen to them, I can really get lost in that feeling. Does anyone know if there’s something special about the age of three, and what’s happening to the brain at that point as it relates to music? (I have a daughter who’s almost two…but I wonder if the songs she likes now — like the theme to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, for example, will even ring a bell when she’s older.)

]]> By: James Eddy http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/comment-page-1/#comment-324 James Eddy Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:28:53 +0000 http://veryevolved.com/?p=358#comment-324 I remember back in the 70's, all the 50's nostalgia. There was Happy Days and then a little later in the late 70's -early 80's there was the Stray Cats who were throw-backs to the 50's Rock-a-Billy/Johnny Cash/Jerry Lee Lewis and the big band music from about the same era. I was born in 1960 and even I devloped a nostalgia for the 50's. All the sytles seem to have about a 20 year cycle back to popularity via nostalgia. Perhaps there is a longer style cycle of about 40 years. I often wondered why people are wearing those ugly black plastic rimmed glasses now. Pretty women making themselves look like 1950's bookworms. When I was a kid they were the ugliest things on Earth. But 40 years ago that was about all there was. I remember back in the 70′s, all the 50′s nostalgia. There was Happy Days and then a little later in the late 70′s -early 80′s there was the Stray Cats who were throw-backs to the 50′s Rock-a-Billy/Johnny Cash/Jerry Lee Lewis and the big band music from about the same era.
I was born in 1960 and even I devloped a nostalgia for the 50′s.
All the sytles seem to have about a 20 year cycle back to popularity via nostalgia. Perhaps there is a longer style cycle of about 40 years. I often wondered why people are wearing those ugly black plastic rimmed glasses now. Pretty women making themselves look like 1950′s bookworms. When I was a kid they were the ugliest things on Earth. But 40 years ago that was about all there was.

]]> By: Liara Covert http://veryevolved.com/2009/02/neuroscience-and-nostalgia/comment-page-1/#comment-235 Liara Covert Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:49:40 +0000 http://veryevolved.com/?p=358#comment-235 Illusions require certain conditions to be effective. People have to be willing to buy into something for it to matter. Nostalgia gives energy to any documentation that creates a sense of the past (i.e. photo albums, yearbooks, music). It all distracts you from the reality of presence. As a person learns to just be, the past dissolves. Illusions offer a glimpse into how the brain works by revealing hidden, underlying mechanisms in a way that normal perception fails. Visual. auditory and other sense illusions all convince a person he has evolved when core consciousness is always the same. You hide from it. Illusions require certain conditions to be effective. People have to be willing to buy into something for it to matter. Nostalgia gives energy to any documentation that creates a sense of the past (i.e. photo albums, yearbooks, music). It all distracts you from the reality of presence. As a person learns to just be, the past dissolves. Illusions offer a glimpse into how the brain works by revealing hidden, underlying mechanisms in a way that normal perception fails. Visual. auditory and other sense illusions all convince a person he has evolved when core consciousness is always the same. You hide from it.

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