Member-only story
Why The Past Has Such A Hold On Us
Powerful emotions freeze in time
Want to learn about power? Go on social media. You’ll see the impact of images, envy, advertising and yes, positivity and connection (it’s not all bad).
So when Facebook throws a “this day 8 years ago” post at you, it knows what it’s doing, because nothing is more powerful than the past.
Your first love, an old departed friend, a student holiday, your old house, the old you — these things hit like a sledgehammer.
Even though the memories fade, the emotions don’t. They are ageless. Like a wormhole within your own conscious — an image, a voice, a song can connect the 40-something you with the 20-something you in an instant.
The past has a hold… and an edge. 20 year old mistakes are hard to rectify. People who are gone can’t be brought back.
