To find out even more about the [Heck], I’m Old subreddit and what they've been up to since we last featured the group on Bored Panda, we got in touch with one of the community's moderators.
"Not much has changed since then. I would say the only thing of note is the posting frequency has increased," the moderator shared. "This could just be a seasonal change. But I am also aware that AI bots are a problem all across Reddit. As AI has gotten better, they have gotten harder and harder to differentiate. We have tools to mitigate them as best we can."
The moderator also noted that the community is a great one to be a part of.
"One of the biggest things I can say about our members, is they largely stay civil," they noted. "Comment chains that devolve into a toxic back and forth very rarely happen here. Despite some posts getting 500+ comments. Many of the comments are just people pitching their own perspective on something nostalgic. With all the tools we have in place, moderating this subreddit is quite easy."
Next, we asked the moderator if there's anything particular about their own past that they're incredibly nostalgic about.
"The biggest thing I miss from childhood would probably be riding my bike all over town with friends during the summer. The sense of wonder, and exploring areas we've never been, or areas we weren't supposed to be," they shared.
The moderator also says that they love many of the posts that they see shared in this community. "But we often see these things through rose colored glasses, and forget all the bad things that happened back then too," they pointed out. "The past seems like it was so much better, because most people forget all the bad things. I think it's a matter of self-preservation. If we remembered all the bad, I think we would all spiral into a deep depression."
Finally, they noted that this subreddit isn't one that changes a lot, but perhaps, that's the beauty of it. "I see this subreddit as a safe space. A temporary reprieve from the world as it is now," the mod shared. "Just don't get stuck in the past, and make sure to take off the rose colored glasses before returning to reality."
#16 Silly Putty
#17 In The 70s, Fondue Was All The Rage. I Never Tried It. Have You?
We were also lucky enough to get in touch with another expert on this topic, Dave Fife of Retro Injection, to hear his thoughts on indulging in nostalgia.
"I'm a firm believer in the power of nostalgia, which I why I created retroinjection.com. The tagline for the website is, 'Nostalgia is a Dr*g.' And it's true: Nostalgia releases dopamine, just like a dr*g," he shared. "Since dr*gs can be beneficial or deadly, the key is to nostalgia is moderation."
"It's a component of life, not the focus. Don't forget where you are, always think about your future, and appreciate where you've been!" Dave continued. "While your future isn't determined by your past, you may find that your experiences help define who you are."
#19 Back When Sedans Had Ashtrays With Lighters For The Backseat Passengers
