Internet users often proclaim, “I was born in the wrong generation!” The irony—using present-day technology to share this idea—fails to dull their yearning for ‘the good old days’. The dream of wearing flapper dresses or attending Woodstock remains unfulfilled, but their appreciation for the past highlights the importance of presentism.
Presentism labels an attitude toward the past dominated by present-day ideology. For example, asserting that ancient civilizations were stupid for believing that the Earth was flat, when that belief was commonly held at the time.
Canceling History
This idea, that the past is guilty of not being the present, ignores the many issues plaguing the 21st century. There’s a good chance that in the future, history students will claim that Generation Z is not the age they would want to live in.
This perspective becomes problematic when the present is assumed to be the most advanced and innovative period in history. Immersing oneself in current scientific innovation and humanitarian achievement ignores that our ancestors perceived their accomplishments in the same way.
Another issue arises when archival works are ignored because their authors hold outdated values. It is ignorant to devalue quality literature or historic figures because they do not adhere to a modern understanding of social justice values. This removes important pieces from the trajectory of progression.
No Peaking in College
Applying the concept of presentism to your daily life helps to improve feelings of regret or embarrassment. Without holding the present to such a high standard, past events lose their distinction and can be judged in a less harsh manner.
College students often hear that the four years we spend in university are the ‘best years of our lives’. If a brief period before middle age culminates as the peak of life, what do we have to look forward to? These might be the best years of our lives, but if we remove the presentist mindset surrounding college, graduation won’t appear so daunting.
It’s impossible for us to return to past generations or stop time from moving forward. However, increasing our awareness of the dangers of presentism helps to diminish negative feelings surrounding past events.
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