Why are we obsessed with 80s music, rebooted movies, and "the good old days"? Psychologist Claire Dawson argues in "The Rearview Mirror" that nostalgia is not just a fuzzy feeling, but a powerful psychological survival mechanism. Dawson explains that when the present feels chaotic or unsafe (like during a pandemic or recession), the brain retreats to the past to find stability. The book explores "Restorative Nostalgia" (trying to rebuild the past) versus "Reflective Nostalgia" (accepting it is gone). Dawson analyzes how political campaigns and marketing departments weaponize this emotion to manipulate behavior. However, she also defends nostalgia as a tool against loneliness and existential dread. By understanding why we look back, we can use those memories to anchor ourselves without getting stuck in a time that never actually existed. A deep dive into the bittersweet emotion that defines our era.