(10) Nostalgia and Solastalgia
We have recently discussed about the root 'Sol' meaning the Sun. Interestingly, there are many words which start with 'Sol' but don't have any connection with the Sun.
Solastalgia is also such a word. It is a neologism: a new word, phrase or exppression.
The word Solastalgia was coined by philosopher and Environmental Scientist Glenn Albrecht in his 2005 article :(Solastalgia: a new concept in human health and identity).
He described Solastalgia as "the homesickness you have when you are still at home" and your home environment is changing in ways you find distressing.
Solastalgia is formed by the combination of the Latin words 'solacium' ( meaning comfort) and the Greek root 'algia' (meaning pain, suffering, grief), that describes a form of emotional distress caused by environmental changes.
Let us first discuss about Nostalgia to understand Solastalgia fully. The word 'nostalgia' originates from the Greek roots 'nostos' (return) and algos (pain). The literal meaning of nostalgia is the suffering evoked by the desire to return to one's place of origin. Now generally it means: a feeling of pleasure, mixed with sadness, when you think of happy times in the past.
Nostalgia is homesickness experienced by individuals when separated from a loved home. On the other hand, Solastalgia is the distress produced by environmental changes to people staying at home!
The situations that may induce the condition of Solastalgia are: Drought ,Forest fire, Flooding, Drought, Tree-cutting, Mining, Smog, Extreme weather etc.
The concept of this relatively new condition of Solastalgia has been developed to better explain the particular despair or trauma that may be experienced by those whose homes and lands are subjected to unwanted/adverse environmental changes.
Obviously, poor people experience the effects of Solastalgia much more than rich people as the environmental changes affect poor much more.
One gets nostalgic to remember greenery of Indore in Sixties and Seventies. Today mindless development at the cost of environment is causing acute Solastalgia to powerless nature lovers.
Pankaj Khanna
Indore (9424810575)
B.E. (Mech.) SGSITS Indore 1983 Batch
-Worked with HPCL from 1984 to 2007 as Mgr.
-Faculty Maths/DI-LR - T.I.M.E. Indore 2007-20
-Faculty Maths/DI-LR -IMS Indore 2022 Onwards.
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You may also wish to see my blog : Love thy Numbers. It may be helpful for CAT Preparation in Quant Section to the Serious Students who are willing to accept additional inputs.
(और अगर आप 'भविष्य की भाषा हिंदी' में वर्तमान में कुछ अच्छा, हल्का-फुल्का हास, परिहास और इतिहास पढ़ना चाहते हैं तो आप तवा संगीत के आलेख भी पढ़ सकते हैं। ये हिंदी वाला ब्लॉग CAT में कुछ काम नहीं आएगा पर मजा आ सकता है:)