In the late 17th century, a medical student named Johannes Hofer noticed a strange illness affecting Swiss mercenaries serving abroad. Its symptoms, including fatigue, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, indigestion, and fever were so strong, the soldiers often had to be discharged.
As Hofer discovered, the cause was not some physical disturbance, but an intense yearning for their mountain homeland. He dubbed the condition nostalgia, from the Greek "nostos" for homecoming and "algos" for pain or longing.
And, in fact, despite being a complex emotional state that can include feelings of loss and sadness, nostalgia doesn't generally put people in a negative mood. Instead, by allowing individuals to remember personally meaningful and rewarding experiences they shared with others, nostalgia can boost psychological well-being.
Today, it seems that nostalgia is everywhere, partially because advertisers have discovered how powerful it is as a marketing technique. Nostalgia helps us remember that our lives can have meaning and value, helping us find the confidence and motivation to face the challenges of the future.
17世纪末,一个名叫约翰内斯·霍费尔的医学院学生注意到一种奇怪的疾病,它影响了在国外服役的瑞士雇佣军。它的症状包括疲劳、失眠、心跳不规则、消化不良、发烧等,而且都很严重,士兵们常常不得不被遣散。
正如霍费尔所发现的,原因不是身体上的干扰,而是对他们山区家园的强烈渴望。他把这种状态称为怀旧,来源于希腊语中表示回家的“nostos”和表示痛苦或渴望的“algos”。
事实上,尽管怀旧是一种复杂的情绪状态,包括失落和悲伤,但怀旧一般不会让人产生消极情绪。相反,通过让每个人记住他们与他人分享的有意义和有价值的经历,怀旧可以促进心理健康发展。
如今,怀旧似乎无处不在,部分原因是广告商已经发现怀旧作为一种营销手段有多么强大。怀旧帮助我们记住,我们的生活可以有意义和价值,帮助我们找到信心和动力去面对未来的挑战。