Common Examples of Declinism and How Our Biased Brain Shapes Perception

The Biased Brain Podcast with Owen Hawthorne

Explore the intriguing world of cognitive biases and human cognition in this engaging podcast. Discover how bias in decision making shapes our perceptions and influences our choices. Join us as we delve into the science behind critical thinking and biases, providing practical insights to enhance your understanding and control over your thought processes. Whether you're a psychology student or curious observer, this podcast offers valuable tools to help you unveil the hidden biases in your mind.

Why We Always Think Things Were Better Back Then: Examples of Declinism

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Man, things were so much better in the past”? Maybe you hear it a lot—the idea that society, culture, or even the world in general is slipping downhill. That feeling or belief is actually something psychologists and researchers call declinism. It’s a very common mindset, but it’s also a great example of how our brains don’t always work the way we think they do.

Declinism is basically the belief that whatever we’re experiencing right now is worse than it was before. It shows up in various ways — like people complaining that music, movies, or even morals are declining over time. Sometimes it’s subtle, and other times it’s more obvious, but it often blinds us to the good happening around us right now.

Here are some examples that might sound familiar:

• “Kids these days are just... worse.” How many times have you heard older generations express concerns that young people today don’t have the same work ethic, respect, or values? This is classic declinism—assuming things were better before, without always recognizing the big changes in society and culture.
• “Music today isn’t as good as it used to be.” Whether it’s classic rock fans talking about how everything was better in the ’70s or ’80s, or jazz lovers cynically sighing over modern pop hits, this is another common complaint tied to declinism.
• “Our country is falling apart.” Political commentary frequently leans on declinist thinking. When people focus only on what’s going wrong and assume things were perfect decades ago, it’s an easy trap to fall into, especially given how media presents the news.

So, why do we fall for this? Well, it turns out our biased brain is wired for what psychologists call “negative bias.” That means we pay more attention to bad events or changes perceived as negative. Our tendency leads us to overestimate decline and underestimate progress. You could say it’s part of human cognition—a system that’s not always geared toward balanced, critical thinking.

This is where understanding cognitive biases becomes useful. When you’re aware that the brain tends to skew towards pessimism about the present and optimistic views of the past, you can better check those assumptions. It’s a key part of improving critical thinking and biases in our everyday judgment.

At the heart of declinism lies what some call the “golden age fallacy,” where nostalgia colors past experiences as fundamentally better. And this leads to all sorts of skewed thinking, contributing to bias in decision making. People might resist change or dismiss positive new developments because they’re stuck in that “things used to be better” mindset.

But the past had its own problems—lots of them—and many issues today are better than in previous generations, whether in technology, health, education, or social justice. It just doesn’t always feel that way when our brains lean toward focusing on what’s wrong.

If you're fascinated by how our minds trick us like this, you might want to check out the insightful book, The Biased Brain by Bo Bennett, PhD. It breaks down lots of different cognitive biases, including why our brains tend toward declinism and other misleading thoughts. Learning how these biases work can help you approach daily life with clearer understanding and more balanced judgment.

So next time you catch yourself thinking “everything’s worse than before,” remember: your brain might just be playing its usual tricks. And that means there’s always room to practice better awareness and critical thinking. After all, recognizing your own biases is the first step toward making smarter choices and appreciating the present more.

Explore the book and unravel the secrets of your mind today! It’s a smart, fascinating way to see how subtle mental habits shape how you experience the world.

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