Why Young People Have Nostalgia for a Time Before They Were Born

Here's an oxymoron for you: people are using AI generated images to evoke the nostalgia of the 90s—the last human decade without ubiquitous technology. This idea fits into the growing sense that 1997 may have been the year that culture peaked. The growing appreciation for everything retro is driving an aftermarket boom in the value of nostalgic products from the nineties. It's also leading people to seek out more retro experiences where they can live and interact in a way reminiscent of a "simpler" time without AI or cell phones.

Examples of these types of experiences come up in my newsfeed every week - like this one where the Boston Sheraton hotel created a Goodnight Moon-Themed Suite (available through Feb 2026). The irony, of course, is that my own Gen Z kids can simultaneously make fun of me for being old while wearing a "Rage Against the Machine" sweatshirt without any idea of the epic backstory behind the band. But that's the thing about modern nostalgia in 2025 ... it's not inspired by a longing to relive an experience from their own past.

Instead, it's about recreating an offline moment that they have only ever heard about in stories and are unlikely to experience in their lifetimes any other way.