Snapshot · The Bulwark Podcast
Jane's Costal Nostalgia Theory holds that people believe their personal golden era is simply when they were young and attractive — Vanilla Ice believes the early 1990s were the peak of civilization.
Where this was said
At 54:07 · chapter starts 53:50
Jane Coaston introduces her theory with characteristic precision: the question to ask anyone claiming the past was better is simply 'were you young and/or hot at the time?' [1] — Jane Coaston "Jane Coaston's Costal Nostalgia Theory: people always think the era when they were young and attractive was civilization's peak. Vanilla Ic…" 54:07 The Atlantic's interview with Vanilla Ice — who believes the early 1990s represent the zenith of human civilization, an era when he was dating Madonna and appearing in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies — provides the purest case study. Coaston expands the theory empirically: comment sections at National Review, the Free Press, and left-leaning publications alike are dominated by early-70-somethings who believe 1977 was paradise, apparently forgetting the Son of Sam, the NYC blackouts, and stagflation. She notes that Saturday Night Fever is the template — a film everyone associates with a great time that is actually an extremely depressing movie. Tim Miller confesses he has Peter Pan syndrome as the exception that proves the rule, which he frames as the active choice to find good things happening now rather than mourning the past. He closes by observing that Joe Rogan, listened to for the first time in a while, has become a grumpy old rich man with no joy left — just complaints about how LA isn't what it used to be.
Jane Coaston's Costal Nostalgia Theory: people always think the era when they were young and attractive was civilization's peak. Vanilla Ice thinks it's the early '90s. Joe Rogan misses old LA. Commenters in their 70s think 1977 was paradise — forgetting stagflation and the Son of Sam.
San Francisco's average rent rose 18% over the past two years to $3,728/month, surpassing New York City as the most expensive rental market in the country.
San Francisco's average monthly rent now stands at $3,728, surpassing New York City to become the most expensive rental city in the United States.
At a childhood sleepover, Bobby Lee's friends drew penises on his face and he walked 7 miles home on a dirt road before being picked up by Eric Purvis's mom.
In 1950, about 60% of the world lived in extreme poverty; today it's about 1 in 10, attributable to capitalist economic growth.
From 2021 to 2024, 6 million children fell below the poverty line in the US after the expanded child tax credit expired.
Private domestic infant and international adoptions typically cost $40,000 to $70,000, while foster care adoption is the most affordable route at $0 to $2,000.
Historically, only 40% of men have ever reproduced — Galloway uses this to argue that romantic success requires effort, not a hall pass.
Robby Hoffman is the 7th of 10 children raised in a Hasidic household in Montreal, where the family was poor and comedy was a survival mechanism.
Robby's Hasidic community had no concept of 'too soon' in comedy — if it was funny, you threw it, and if you bombed, your sibling told you immediately.
We use essential and analytics cookies to run Vuci. To understand how the site is used: Privacy Policy.
Install Vuci on your phone
Add it to your home screen for a faster, app-like experience.
Install Vuci on your phone
Tap the Share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.
A new version is available
Reload to get the latest Vuci.