Why we always think the world is going to the dogs
Since ancient times, humans have complained that society is in a state of moral decay. This cognitive bias is called declinism. Our brains naturally filter out bad memories from our own youth over time, leaving us with a warm, nostalgic view of the past. When we compare this polished memory of yesterday to the messy, unfiltered reality of today, the present looks much worse.
The Persistent Illusion of Decline
Across different cultures and historical eras, people have repeatedly voiced the conviction that society is unraveling. Whether the grievance centers on a perceived loss of moral values, the supposed laziness of younger generations, or the deterioration of culture and social order, the narrative remains remarkably consistent. This widespread tendency to view the past through an admiring lens while judging the present as increasingly broken is known in psychology and sociology as declinism.
Declinism is not simply an intellectual philosophy or a reaction to specific historical disasters; it functions as a pervasive cognitive bias. Even during periods marked by measurable improvements in living standards, public health, and general safety, large portions of the public frequently report feeling that the world was better in earlier decades. This persistent gap between objective historical trends and subjective perception suggests that the phenomenon is driven by fundamental aspects of human cognition rather than actual societal conditions.
Rosy Retrospection and Memory Filtering
A central cognitive engine behind declinism is rosy retrospection, the psychological predisposition to remember past events more favorably than they were experienced at the time. When people look back at their own lives, the emotional sting of mundane frustrations, anxieties, and hardships tends to fade much faster than the positive emotional resonance of accomplishments and pleasant experiences. The mind gradually polishes the past, filtering out the background friction of daily living.
This natural filtering creates an uneven comparison. When evaluating the present, individuals must contend with the raw, unfiltered reality of current problems, immediate stressors, and ongoing uncertainties. When comparing this chaotic present to an idealized, curated memory of the past, the present almost inevitably appears inferior. People mistake a change in their own subjective memory for a genuine deterioration in the external world.