Esther McCarthy: 'Nostalgia is a nice break from dystopia'

There’s nothing wrong with a soft-focus reminder of a world that felt lighter.

Esther McCarthy. Picture: Emily Quinn

Have you seen the 2016 trend that’s going around the place? It’s mainly sepia-toned pictures of people rocking carved eyebrows. At first, I was confused — an emotion I’m experiencing more and more on social media, like someone’s benign but slightly baffled grandmother. (I’m still afraid to say the numbers six and seven in sequence, as it sets off either A) a monotone, drawn-out repetition accompanied by the kids looking like they’re doing a really rubbish juggle, or perhaps weighing apples, or B) groans and stern directives never to utter those numbers again.)

But anyway, apparently, 2026 is the new 2016. Which does explain why my feed has people resharing decade-old photos. I can practically smell the nostalgia coming out of the screen.