From Hagioptasia to Anemoia: Why We Feel Nostalgic for Things Not Experienced

Hagioptasia is a term coined by musician Daniel Laidler, which he says represents “a fundamental human perceptual tendency to experience an illusory sense of extraordinary ‘specialness’ in various aspects of life.” These aspects of life include music, religious and sacred objects, art, status and glamour, and nostalgia. I wrote about expressions of hagioptasia in emo…

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Expressions of Hagioptasia in Emo Music

I recently came across the term hagioptasia, coined by musician Daniel Laidler. It refers to a fleeting sense of significance and specialness, which eludes explanation. Laidler describes this experience, and how it’s a core part of nostalgia, in a blog post published last December. He challenges the commonplace notion that nostalgia is merely a sentimental…

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