There is an increasing feeling that today’s media has become too nostalgic and unoriginal. I fully agree with this observation because of nostalgia bias and social media algorithms, with the latter favoring similar content based on how viral it is.
It is a part of human nature to romanticize the past, but in recent years, the media has focused on the past too much. Various TV channels, radio programs, podcasts and social media accounts present the past as superior to the present, making people believe that their current lives will never be as enjoyable as decades ago. Such content is mostly interesting to people because of how nostalgia bias works. We, as humans, become more conservative as we age, and tend to reminisce the past instead of enjoying the present. Knowing this, radio presenters, podcast creators, social media managers and TV show directors focus increasingly on creating content that shows life in the past, such as 2000s, 1990s and certain years such as 2016.
It is not just nostalgia bias but focusing on numbers, too. Social media constantly shows that some clips become viral because of specific content. Content creators observe such clips and copy them with the desire to have their viral moment as well. This thirst for fame and millions of views creates so-called “trends” online, which is why we can often see people performing the same dance or telling the same joke. The word algorithm is relevant in this case as it represents a certain tendency or system that appears to work. Also, social media is not the only media platform where such observations can be made. The pursuit of likes, views and comments happens elsewhere, with tabloid press being a testament to this.
In conclusion, I do believe that media has become too nostalgic and there is a lack of creativity. Those in different media platforms are to blame since they capitalize on nostalgia bias and viral content.