Nostalgia is easy way out for UAE writers

There has been a noticeable yearning for the past in works of literature and art by Emirati and GCC writers. Increasingly, this nostalgia has spread to the media, where it has been labelled “the beautiful past”, implying that the present is less beautiful.

Literary works are considered a key source for professionals in the field of social sciences and psychology, who come up with innovative concepts and theories that benefit the economy and politics. This raises essential questions: How do you explain the phenomenon of nostalgia, and the factors behind it?

Nostalgia comes in various forms. Some of these forms can be comprehended, while some others are difficult to understand. They may fall in the category of “culture shock”. How does this occur?

Let us first clearly define what nostalgia is in Emirati and GCC literary and art works. It seems that this kind of longing for the past, which is manifest in Emirati and Gulf publications, means a possible desire to return to a lifestyle that once prevailed. This simply means the desire to go back to the traditions, customs and social values of the past.

Longing here can also be defined as secretly ‘protesting’ a present that is lousy when compared to olden days. However, why do the people behind these literary works admire the past and prefer it over the present? The text of these works does not provide answers to such a question because they are not scientific in nature and therefore do not give a reasoning for the negative attitude towards everything that is ‘new’. The text does not clearly state such an opinion, but only hints at it, which is the purpose of the works of literature and art.

However, we can infer the following: Nostalgia is a form of rejecting the present as an alternative for a time that is now bygone.

The present is seen as progressive and modern, therefore, rejecting it also means rejecting modernity and development. As analysts, this brings us to two important and risky conclusions.

The first conclusion is that the present, during its development, did not meet the expectations and criteria of the current generation and with the passage of time, they began to care less for everything happening around them and as a result began to feel psychologically and socially alienated.

Simply put, an individual begins to feel like he or she physically exists, but that he or she is of little value and lacks a sense of belonging to his or her surroundings or society. Therefore, the person begins to wish for the good old days in which they felt valued and there existed between them and the society a form of mutual acceptance and belonging.

Perhaps development occurred in some shape or form that did not really serve or benefit citizens? This is a matter that must be looked into by policymakers and planners.

It is wrong to say that as we make more progress our predicaments become worse. So what is the solution? Not to make any progress and spend our days in tents, gazing at the moon and writing poetry? This also means that we will have to forget all innovations and progress for the sake of holding on to a certain way of life and not move forward. Moreover, this will also mean that we abstain from building and construction, science and technology.

This point of view can only be associated with one trait: Backwardness.

Which brings us to the second conclusion: Life in the olden days was simpler and less severe than in the present. As such, nostalgia seems to be the easier way out — notwithstanding the bitterness about the inability of returning to the “beautiful past”. The current generation was not ready to adapt to the modernity that accompanied the sudden economic development after the oil boom.

Despite the significance of the oil boom, it has also unintentionally ruined many things such as the social and cultural structure of the region’s communities. This perhaps seemed like an important price to pay for fast-paced development in GCC countries — the same development that has been tailored in ways that do not suit the citizens.

Were there any other ways to lessen the harmful effects of this fast-paced development by adopting other, more effective methods? Maybe.

Works of literature and art continue to play an important role, whisking interested parties into places that science can never fathom. That is because literature occupies the empty spaces in people’s minds, spaces that the sciences deserted and did not utilise.

Mohammad Hassan Al Harbi is a writer and journalist.