Inspiration

The 90s Nostalgia Is Helping Me Survive In 2020, And Here's How!

The 90s Nostalgia Is Helping Me Survive In 2020, And Here’s How!
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Not that long ago, I felt sick of all the 90s nostalgia, from fashion to music and TV revivals. To survive in 2020, I went back in time, and you can do it too.

It was a crazy era, the internet went mainstream, and everyone wanted to fit into a group of misfits. Outfits were not admirable, but we had actual supermodels, and the world of celebrities seemed much more amusing.

Lady Diana was hanging out with Elton John and George Michael, while Seattle had the best music scene ever. It was indeed the best of times; it was the worst of times.

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So, why go back? There was no YouTube, no social media, but it's not like we weren't obsessing over stupid things, from neon accessories to posters of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Kids are still more or less the same, but even gen Z needs sanctuary in the 90s. Because that's the decade where we had something we forgot that existed.

The Decade Of Music And Hope

the 90s nostalgia is helping me survive in 2020, and here's how!
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Even without the pandemic, we are living in some dark ages. The 90s nostalgia is a loud and proud reminder that things were happening, we talked, and we were dealing with issues.

Sure, living in the past isn't healthy, but sometimes you need that escape, even if that means merely watching Clueless, binging My So-Called Life, or Felicity, or admiring Layne Staley's vocals. Rest in peace, legend!

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There was the original 90210, and though soapy, the show did mention some genuinely severe topics. From racism to eating disorders and rape, it was much less ignorant than teen shows today.

There were so many amazing, amusing, talented black artists, both male, and female that it's safe to say that the music scene was diverse, and people didn't even think about it.

MTV was actually about music, and 2Pac ruled it. So did feminist icons, from Tori Amos and TLC to Neneh Cherry and Shirley Manson from Garbage. Oh, and there was Bjork, which to this day means that being different is awesome!

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The 90s Nostalgia And Delusion

the 90s nostalgia is helping me survive in 2020, and here's how!
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While I'm sitting in my angry chair (Alice in Chains fans understand), it's more than evident that we were delusional. People with great ideas left us way too soon. Tabloids were starting to spread like a disease.

Ladies on TV were thin, annoyingly perfect, and unrelatable. We were celebrating Depp and Moss, while not realizing that the relationship was anything but healthy.

Some also thought that Cobain and Love were a match made in heaven, but that's a whole different delusion level.

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But, you shouldn't blame this one fabulous decade. We all had dreams, though reality bit us and allowed us to grow up and forget all our goals.

We left them behind, which is how we ended up with the same issues, only on an even higher level.

The 90s Are Saving The Day

the 90s nostalgia is helping me survive in 2020, and here's how!
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The 90s were a decade of cultural revolutions. They weren't massive, yet they were all over the world. Artistically, the early 90s continued the spirit of the late 60s, early 70.

For the same reasons, we didn't have to understand every single thing to know what's right. There was a sense of collective empathy, instead of apathy, which is what 2020 is all about.

We were sarcastic, idealistic, and young. Most of us had goals to educate ourselves and do something great. But, we never got that chance.

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I'm telling you all this because we need the world to smell like teen spirit and to feel alive once again.

You own it to yourself to avoid becoming Ernold Same (Hello, Blur fans) and to be more rock'n'roll stars (And big hugs to Oasis fans).

The 90s kids aren't even 40, and while we can't avoid what's going on, we can go back to gain energy and remind ourselves that we can be awesome again.

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Choose Life

the 90s nostalgia is helping me survive in 2020, and here's how!
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We can't escape COViD-19. And we don't want to stop talking about white privilege. Is anyone else sick of mind-numbing, spirit-crushing superhero movies, and light erotic novels?

Now, 30 years later, we are in charge. And as a generation, we need to get our groove back. To want a better world and go for it.

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And guess what? We're allowed to enjoy some great records, have a meaningful conversation, and make peace with those kids that back in the 90s were us.

We are all feeling like a Monday, but it's time to become Saturday night.

It's okay to grow up as long as you don't grow old. Face it, you're young!

Jarvis Cocker, Pulp, Britpop legend