Desire Quote by Helena Goscilo
““Scholars generally understand post-Soviet nostalgia as something more than a simple longing for the return of the Soviet past (Boym 2001; Ivanova 1997; Nadkarni and Shevchenko 2004; Oushakine 2007; Sabonis-Chafee 1999). Nostalgia “emphasizes the irretrievability of the past as the very condition of desire,” since it “is never longing for a specific past as much as it is longing for longing itself, made all the safer by the fact that the object of that desire is deemed irrevocably lost” (Nadkarni and Shevchenko 2004: 491).””
About This Quote
Source Article: Post‑Soviet Nostalgia, Journal of Cultural Studies, 2005
Nostalgia for the Soviet era is less about a specific past and more about yearning for the feeling of longing itself, which is unattainable and fuels desire.
In simple terms: Longing for a feeling of longing, not a concrete past.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that desire may be rooted in the abstract rather than concrete history.
Themes
nostalgia
memory
desire
history
Mood
reflective
melancholic
introspective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- personal reflection
- political discourse
Key Concepts
post‑Soviet identity
psychology of longing
cultural memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does abstract longing shape personal identity?
- Can nostalgia be a productive force?
A Different Perspective
Nostalgia can romanticize loss, obscuring present realities.
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