Declinism
For many people, old black and white movies stir up feelings of nostalgia. Whether it is the extravagant clothing, melodramatic acting, or apparent simplicity of the “good old days,” these films might often make us wish that we were born in another generation.
These movies can be fun. But there are many problematic issues that we tend to block out once that nostalgic feeling sets in. For example, racism is prevalent in many older movies. Non-white characters are rarely represented, and — when they do appear — they are often depicted as slow, subservient, and immature. Similarly, in older films, women are often portrayed as childish and immature. The tendency to block out those unpleasant parts of the past is an example of declinism.
But, declinism is more than the tendency to remember the past nostalgically. Declinism also encompasses our tendency to believe that the future will be worse than the past. The example of old movies explains why declinism is often a fallacy. Even though the movies made in the ’40s and ’50s were lovely, we now have movies in breathtaking high-definition with mind-blowing graphics. These technologies would have never been possible in the golden age of Hollywood. Imagine the latest Marvel film being produced in the 1930s. While the vintage feel of the film might be great, a Hulk smash wouldn’t look too convincing.
Propagandists sometimes combine fear appeals and declinism in an attempt to frighten the audience about a supposed threat to the nostalgic feelings of the good old days.
If we believe that society has already been as good as it will get, we are more likely to believe that the future will be worse than the present. But there is plenty of evidence demonstrating that the opposite is true. The statistician, Hans Rosling, has developed powerful visualizations which illustrate how humans have progressed over time. By quantifying substantial advances in health, wealth, and education, Rosling demonstrates that the past wasn’t as great as we think it was and we have things to look forward to in the future.
If a message emphasizes nostalgia for the past and fear of the future, it might be helpful to ask yourself the following things:
- What problems were there during this time? For example, if you miss being a small child, it might help to remember that you lacked the autonomy to do what you wanted and probably had to walk around in a diaper.
- Why do I think that the future will be worse than the present? Is there any evidence that predicts this?
- Does the speaker have a vested interest in convincing you that things were better in the past?