Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

AllanfromWales1 t1_itulfaa wrote

Could it be that people's taste in music and films develops and becomes fixed at a relatively young age, and they find more recent stuff less appealing?

26

giuliomagnifico OP t1_itumv38 wrote

Could be!

> As expected by the researchers, study one results showed older music produced more memory recall and the songs were more appreciated. Additionally, the memories associated with older music were also older, more positive and had more downward temporal comparisons — meaning participants felt that while the memories were positive, they also believed their lives were better now than at the time of the memory. Whether a memory was specific or more social did not vary widely, but several variables such as memory recall, memory immersion and positive effect were predictors of appreciation. That suggests people appreciate any type of entertainment that activates a memory, the researchers wrote.

8

wweber1 t1_iturgj5 wrote

Hmm not sure about thinking life is better now than before.

3

DillaVibes t1_itw725n wrote

Just my anecdote but I love new music/films as well as older ones. Old ones are great for nostalgia but I always need new sounds. But I do know some older people who are unwilling to listen and experiment with new sounds.

5

resrep2 t1_itwqcq3 wrote

Anecdotal experience and all that but...my taste in music genres has changed significantly since I was a child but in the new genres I listen to I still find music from a few decades ago generally better than today's, even though I never listened to that music back in its time.

4

MiddleCourage t1_ituo1sk wrote

I think difficulty and complacency are huge factors. Learning stuff is hard and taxing. Once you get comfortable most people don't LIKE being challenged and confronting new things.

2

AllanfromWales1 t1_itv0iwf wrote

Is it true though, that modern film/music is more complex or difficult than earlier versions? That isn't obvious.

1

MOS95B t1_itv7c51 wrote

It doesn't necessarily have to be "more complex or difficult". It just has to be different. You have to "learn to like" different (and a lot of people do), but the familiar is easy and often comforting.

3

BlueRajasmyk2 t1_itx60q6 wrote

Could it also be selection bias? The older movies I remember are strong memories because, well, I still remember them. The less memorable ones I've just forgotten completely (often forgetting I even watched them to begin with)

2

AllanfromWales1 t1_itx6s5a wrote

Certainly true with music. YouTube comments on old videos to the effect 'music was so much better in the 1980s' (or 70s or whenever) fail to take account of the swathes of unutterable trash there was in those days as much as now.

2

grownan t1_itw56xn wrote

Idk I think rap is objectively worse than it was 10 years ago. The beats continually improve but the lyrics and flow are terrible now.

They weren’t exactly amazing back then either but between lil baby and the other autotune guys I can’t understand anything they say.

1

skofan t1_ituy9rl wrote

Could it also be that maybe more modern music and film's have a higher tendency to not stand out in any memorable way?

−1

FingerTheCat t1_itwc3v5 wrote

I suggest that as a kid you have more curiosity and willingness to try new things. And as you get older listening to music is more of a meditation, I find myself changing the song if I never heard it before if because I don't want to use my brain power for learning, but relaxing. Might be a bit hyperbolic but yea

2