Historical Amnesia Fuels Modern Malaise

People often feel life was better in the past because they’ve forgotten how dangerous and impoverished earlier eras actually were; losing collective memory of historical suffering makes current problems look larger relative to a misremembered past. Restoring historical perspective changes how citizens judge policy trade‑offs like housing, public health, and urban design. — If true, this explains why populist nostalgia spreads and suggests policy debates should include historical context to correct misperception and reframe priorities.