“Nostalgia for a future that hasn’t happened yet.”
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Notes
“Nostalgia for a future that hasn’t happened yet”—and seems unlikely to happen:
- Fear that future might not be what we hope for
- Fear that we’ll feel regret for what might have been
- Hesitate to make things better, realize possibilities
Two options:
- “Turn away from possibility”—become victims of whatever is happening around us
- “Find a foundation to stand tall”—take a chance, speak up, contribute
Thoughts
I love the notion of “nostalgia for a future that hasn’t happened yet.” Literal nostalgia is that love and comfort we feel for a past that we remember (which may never really have existed). This metaphorical nostalgia is a sense of loss for a future that we see as desirable but unlikely to happen.
Given that any future is always unlikely to happen, a sentimental longing for the future—especially if it results in paralysis—is silly (as is a sentimental longing for a no-longer- (or never-) existent past).
There are no guarantees, as Seth has often repeated. But we can help shape whatever it is that the future will actually become.
This series is meant to capture my thoughts as I work through Seth Godin’s The Practice. It’s a book with over 200 (very short) chapters, which I hope to work through and, I further hope, to implement over time.
If you’re interested in more of Godin’s ideas, or my thoughts about them, you can check out this collection of posts. Note that if you’re more interested in the former, you should probably get Godin’s book and read it yourself; my notes will be both incomplete and idiosyncratic, and my thoughts will relate to my own experience.
But if my thoughts resonate with you, or if you think I’m just silly, I welcome your comments.