currently eating Dunkaroos & thinking about how people experience cultural nostalgia in 2 different ways. for some, it's straightforward nostalgia — cultural artifacts that remind them of (& make them long for) a different, perhaps "simpler", time (usually their childhood).
for others, it's a way of connecting to the culture & feeling included. I don't miss Dunkaroos, nor do I miss my childhood, but the Dunkaroos remind me of my childhood, and knowing that many others feel the same way helps me feel more immersed in the shared culture.
a big part of this is how disconnected from the culture I felt growing up as an immigrant. took a while to learn English, mom never let me eat the popular junk foods, I was the kid who brought weird lunch, dressed differently from the others, was awkward & autistic as hell, etc
so I think part of why I love reminiscing about 90s American kid culture is that it helps me find & focus on those shared threads, as trite as they themselves may be. helps me feel "included", retroactively.
