Why do we feel nostalgia? - Clay Routledge

Zašto osjećamo nostalgiju? - Clay Routledge

Prevoditelj: Ivan Stamenković Recezent: Igor Pureta

In the late 17th century,

U kasnom 17. stoljeću

a medical student named Johannes Hofer noticed a strange illness

student medicine imena Johannes Hofer primjetio je čudnu bolest

affecting Swiss mercenaries serving abroad.

koja je pogodila švicarske plaćenike na radu u inozemstvu.

Its symptoms,

Simptomi,

including fatigue,

uključujući umor,

insomnia,

nesanicu,

irregular heartbeat,

nepravilan rad srca,

indigestion,

probleme s probavom,

and fever were so strong,

i vrućicu bili su tako snažni,

the soldiers often had to be discharged.

da su vojnici morali biti otpušteni.

As Hofer discovered, the cause was not some physical disturbance,

Hofer je otkrio, uzrok nije bio fizička bolest,

but an intense yearning for their mountain homeland.

već intenzivna čežnja za njihovim planinskim domom.

He dubbed the condition nostalgia,

Nazvao je stanje nostalgija,

from the Greek "nostos" for homecoming

od grčke riječi "nostos" za dolazak kući

and "algos" for pain or longing.

i "algos" za bol ili čežnju.

At first, nostalgia was considered a particularly Swiss affliction.

U početku, nostalgija je smatrana isključivo švicarskom bolesti.

Some doctors proposed that the constant sound of cowbells in the Alps

Neki liječnici su tvrdili da je stalan zvuk kravljih zvona u Alpama

caused trauma to the ear drums and brain.

stvorio traumu za ušne bubnjiće i mozak.

Commanders even forbade their soldiers from singing traditional Swiss songs

Zapovjednici su čak branili vojnicima da pjevaju tradicionalne švicarske pjesme

for fear that they'd lead to desertion or suicide.

iz straha da će to dovesti do dezertiranja ili samoubojstava.

But as migration increased worldwide, nostalgia was observed in various groups.

Ali kako su se seobe povećale, nostalgija je primjećena i u drugim grupama.

It turned out that anyone separated from their native place for a long time

Čini se da su svi koji su odvojeni od svog doma dugo vremena

was vulnerable to nostalgia.

podložni nostalgiji.

And by the early 20th century,

I u ranom dvadestom stoljeću,

professionals no longer viewed it as a neurological disease,

profesionalci više nisu na to gledali kao na neurološku bolest,

but as a mental condition similar to depression.

već mentalno stanje, slično depresiji.

Psychologists of the time speculated

Psiholozi tog vremena špekulirali su

that it represented difficulties letting go of childhood,

da ona predstavlja poteškoće s odrastanjem,

or even a longing to return to one's fetal state.

ili čak željom za vraćanje u fetalno stanje.

But over the next few decades,

U nekoliko sljedećih desetljeća,

the understanding of nostalgia changed in two important ways.

shvaćanje nostalgije promijenilo se na dva važna načina.

Its meaning expanded from indicating homesickness

Njegovo značenje promijenilo se od želje za kućom

to a general longing for the past.

na generalnu čežnju za prošlošću.

And rather than an awful disease,

I umjesto užasne bolesti,

it began to be seen as a poignant and pleasant experience.

počelo se na nostalgiju gledati kao dirljivo i ugodno iskustvo.

Perhaps the most famous example of this

Možda najbolji primjer ovoga

was captured by French author Marcel Proust.

uhvatio je francuski autor Marcel Proust.

He described how tasting a madeleine cake he had not eaten since childhood

Opisao je osjećaj konzumiranja kolača koji nije jeo od djetinjstva

triggered a cascade of warm and powerful sensory associations.

koji je izazvao mnoštvo toplih i snažnih senzorskih asocijacija.

So what caused such a major reversal in our view of nostalgia?

Što je uzrokovalo takav obrat prema nostalgiji?

Part of it has to do with science.

Dio to ga ima veze sa znanošću.

Psychology shifted away from pure theory

Psihologija se odmakla od teorije

and towards more careful and systematic empirical observation.

prema pažljivim i sistematskim empirijskim promatranjima.

So professionals realized that many of the negative symptoms

Tako da su profesionalci shvatili da su mnogi negativni simptomi

may have been simply correlated with nostalgia

možda samo povezani s nostalgijom

rather than caused by it.

umjesto da ih uzrokuje.

And, in fact, despite being a complex emotional state

I zapravo, unatoč tome što je to složeno emocionalno stanje

that can include feelings of loss and sadness,

koje može uključivati osjećaje gubitka i tuge,

nostalgia doesn't generally put people in a negative mood.

nostalgija ne stvara negativno raspoloženje.

Instead, by allowing individuals to remember personally meaningful

Umjesto toga, dozvoljavajući pojedincima da se sjećaju osobno značajnih

and rewarding experiences they shared with others,

i pozitivnih iskustava koje su dijelili s drugima,

nostalgia can boost psychological well-being.

nostalgija može poboljšati psihološko stanje.

Studies have shown that inducing nostalgia in people

Studije su pokazale da izazivanje nostalgije

can help increase their feelings of self-esteem and social belonging,

može pomoći samopouzdanju i društvenom pripadanju,

encourage psychological growth,

potići psihološki rast,

and even make them act more charitably.

i potaknuti ih da se bolje ponašaju.

So rather than being a cause of mental distress,

Tako, umjesto da je uzrok mentalnih problema,

nostalgia can be a restorative way of coping with it.

nostalgija može biti način za nošenje s njima.

For instance, when people experience negative emotional states,

Na primjer, kad ljudi iskuse negativna emocionalna stanja,

they tend to naturally use nostalgia to reduce distress

oni prirodno koriste nostalgiju da smanje nemir

and restore well-being.

i povrate blagostanje.

Today, it seems that nostalgia is everywhere,

Danas se čini da je nostalgija posvuda,

partially because advertisers have discovered how powerful it is

djelomično zato što oglašivači shvaćaju koliko je to snažno

as a marketing technique.

kao tehnika oglašavanja.

It's tempting to think of this as a sign of us being stuck in the past,

Primamljivo je misliti kako je to znak da smo zapeli u prošlosti,

but that's not really how nostalgia works.

ali nostalgija ne funkcionira tako.

Instead, nostalgia helps us remember that our lives can have meaning and value,

Umjesto toga, pomaže nam sjetiti se da nam životi imaju značenje i smisao,

helping us find the confidence and motivation

pomažući nam da nađemo samopouzdanje i motivaciju

to face the challenges of the future.

da se suočimo s izazovima budućnosti.