Why do we feel nostalgia? - Clay Routledge

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Mile Živković

In the late 17th century,

Kasnog XVII veka,

a medical student named Johannes Hofer noticed a strange illness

student medicine, po imenu Johanes Hofer je primetio neobičnu bolest

affecting Swiss mercenaries serving abroad.

koja je pogađala švajcarske plaćenike koji su služili u inostranstvu.

Its symptoms,

Simptomi,

including fatigue,

uključujući umor,

insomnia,

nesanicu,

irregular heartbeat,

nepravilan rad srca,

indigestion,

lošu probavu

and fever were so strong,

i groznicu su bili toliko jaki

the soldiers often had to be discharged.

da su vojnici morali da budu poslani kući.

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

Kako je Hofer otkrio, uzrok nije bila neka fizička smetnja,

but an intense yearning for their mountain homeland.

već snažna žudnja za svojom planinskom domovinom.

He dubbed the condition nostalgia,

Stanje je označio kao nostalgiju,

from the Greek "nostos" for homecoming

od grčke reči "nostos" za povratak kući

and "algos" for pain or longing.

i "algos" za bol ili žudnju.

At first, nostalgia was considered a particularly Swiss affliction.

Prvobitno je nostalgija smatrana naročito švajcarskom nedaćom.

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

Neki doktori su pretpostavili da konstantni zvuk kravljih zvona sa Alpa

caused trauma to the ear drums and brain.

uzrokuje oštećenje bubnih opni i mozga.

Commanders even forbade their soldiers from singing traditional Swiss songs

Komandanti su čak zabranjivali vojnicima da pevaju tradicionalne švajcarske pesme

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

iz straha da će ih navesti na dezerterstvo i samoubistvo.

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

No kako je migracija porasla širom sveta nostalgija je posmatrana kod raznih grupa.

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

Ispostavilo se da je bilo ko odvojen od svog rodnog mesta duže vremena

was vulnerable to nostalgia.

podložan nostalgiji.

And by the early 20th century,

A do ranog XX veka,

professionals no longer viewed it as a neurological disease,

profesionalci više nisu na nju gledali kao na neurološku bolest,

but as a mental condition similar to depression.

već kao na mentalno stanje slično depresiji.

Psychologists of the time speculated

Psiholozi iz tog vremena su nagađali

that it represented difficulties letting go of childhood,

da je predstavljala poteškoće napuštanja detinjstva,

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

pa čak i žudnju da se pojedinac vrati u stanje fetusa.

But over the next few decades,

No tokom narednih nekoliko decenija

the understanding of nostalgia changed in two important ways.

se promenilo razumevanje nostalgije na dva važna načina.

Its meaning expanded from indicating homesickness

Njeno značenje je prošireno, od pokazivanja čežnje za domom

to a general longing for the past.

do uopšteno žudnje za prošlošću.

And rather than an awful disease,

A umesto kao na groznu bolest,

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

počeli su da je gledaju kao dirljivo i prijatno iskustvo.

Perhaps the most famous example of this

Možda je najpoznatiji primer ovoga

was captured by French author Marcel Proust.

zabeležio francuski pisac Marsel Prust.

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

Opisao je kako ukus keksa medveđe šapice, koga nije jeo od detinjstva,

triggered a cascade of warm and powerful sensory associations.

pokreće lavinu toplih i snažnih senzornih asocijacija.

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

Pa, šta je uzrokovalo tako velik preokret u našem viđenju nostalgije?

Part of it has to do with science.

Delimično ima veze s naukom.

Psychology shifted away from pure theory

Psihologija je napravila zaokret od čiste teorije

and towards more careful and systematic empirical observation.

ka pažljivijem i sistematičnijem empirijskom posmatranju.

So professionals realized that many of the negative symptoms

Te su profesionalci uvideli da su mnogi negativni simptomi

may have been simply correlated with nostalgia

možda prosto bili povezani s nostalgijom,

rather than caused by it.

a ne uzrokovani njome.

And, in fact, despite being a complex emotional state

I, zapravo, uprkos tome što je to složeno emotivno stanje

that can include feelings of loss and sadness,

koje može da podrazumeva osećanja gubitka i tuge,

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

nostalgija uopšteno ne uzrokuje negativna raspoloženja kod ljudi.

Instead, by allowing individuals to remember personally meaningful

Naprotiv, omogućujući pojedincima da se sete ličnih značajnih

and rewarding experiences they shared with others,

i dragocenih iskustava koja su delili s drugima,

nostalgia can boost psychological well-being.

nostalgija može da podstakne psihološku dobrobit.

Studies have shown that inducing nostalgia in people

Istraživanja su pokazala da izazivanje nostalgije kod ljudi

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

može da pojača njihova osećanja samopoštovanja i društvenog pripadanja,

encourage psychological growth,

da podstakne psihološki rast,

and even make them act more charitably.

pa čak i da ih učini darežljivijim.

So rather than being a cause of mental distress,

Pa, umesto da bude uzrok mentalnih smetnji,

nostalgia can be a restorative way of coping with it.

nostalgija može da bude lekovit način izlaženja na kraj s njima.

For instance, when people experience negative emotional states,

Na primer, kad ljudi dožive negativna emotivna stanja,

they tend to naturally use nostalgia to reduce distress

prirodno pribegavaju nostalgiji kako bi umanjili bol

and restore well-being.

i obnovili zdravlje.

Today, it seems that nostalgia is everywhere,

Danas se čini da je nostalgija svuda,

partially because advertisers have discovered how powerful it is

delimično jer su oglašivači otkrili koliko je moćna

as a marketing technique.

kao marketinška tehnika.

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

Privlačno je o ovome razmišljati kao o znaku zarobljenosti u prošlosti,

but that's not really how nostalgia works.

ali nostalgija tako ne deluje.

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

Naprotiv, nostalgija pomaže da se setimo da naši životi imaju značaj i vrednost,

helping us find the confidence and motivation

pomaže nam da nađemo samopouzdanje i motivaciju

to face the challenges of the future.

da se suočimo sa budućim izazovima.