Podcast Summary: "The Powerful Benefits of Nostalgia & Why Games Are More Than Just Fun"
Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers
Aired: November 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This special edition SYSK Choice episode features two main interviews. First, psychologist and nostalgia researcher Dr. Clay Routledge explores the science behind nostalgia—why humans long for the past, how those feelings can actually improve mental well-being, and practical takeaways for harnessing nostalgia. The latter half shifts gears as mathematician and Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy dives into the world of games—from Monopoly to chess to tic tac toe—exploring why humans invent and love games, and surprising mathematical strategies that can make you a better player.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Science and Benefits of Nostalgia

Guest: Dr. Clay Routledge, author of "Past: How Nostalgia Can Help You Live a More Meaningful Life"

a. Defining Nostalgia

• Not just yearning for the past, but a rich blend of emotion and cognition.
  • “Nostalgia is a feeling ... but it’s also cognitive… It's about our cherished memories.”
    — Clay Rutledge [06:05]

b. Why Nostalgia Comforts Us

• The "fading affect bias” means negative memories fade faster, so nostalgia tends to be positive.
  • "...Negative experiences tend to fade from our memory faster than positive ones, so it's easier to remember the good things."
    — Clay Rutledge [07:12]
• The past feels "safe"—unchangeable and set in stone, unlike the uncertain future.
• Nostalgia helps people cope with anxiety, loneliness, and stress, acting as a psychological resource to motivate and guide us through difficult times.

c. Nostalgia: Who Feels It and Why?

• Some people experience nostalgia frequently; others only occasionally.
• Personality connections: Those high in “nostalgia proneness” often score higher in anxiety (neuroticism), but are also more spiritual.
  • “People who worry a lot... tend to be more nostalgic.”
    — Clay Rutledge [11:39]
• Family “memory-keepers” (commonly women) more actively use nostalgia to keep traditions alive.

d. Social Nature of Nostalgic Memories

• Most nostalgia involves other people—family, friends, loved ones.
  • “Typically nostalgic memories involve other people, though we also care about place, but the place is usually connected to the people.”
    — Clay Rutledge [18:34]
• Objects as symbols: Collections often connect to relationships (example: antique dishes connected to memories of a mother).

e. Can You Cultivate Future Nostalgia?

• Yes: Savor meaningful experiences. The more you savor, the more likely they’ll become sources of nostalgia [21:38].
• “Mental time travel” is a uniquely human ability—helpful for finding comfort and guidance looking backward, and for dealing with future anxieties through past strengths.

f. Is Nostalgia Always Good?

• Even non-nostalgic people can benefit—much like exercise, using nostalgia consciously is good for you, even if it’s “not your thing.” [25:05]

g. When Does Nostalgia Peak?

• Strongest for events far away in time and space, especially childhood and teenage years [25:55].

h. Nostalgia Makes You Feel Younger

• Engaging in nostalgic reflection can make you feel younger than your age, especially after 40.
  • “Nostalgia makes you feel younger than you are, especially after around the age of 40…”
    — Clay Rutledge [26:50]

i. Why Nostalgic Memories Matter

• “Going back” in your memories brings relationships and places to life, even temporarily, creating comfort and purpose.

2. The Deeper Purpose and Mathematics of Games

Guest: Marcus du Sautoy, Oxford mathematician and author of "Around the World in 80 Games”

a. Why Do Humans Love Games?

• Games let us experiment, rehearse, and socialize in safe, structured spaces.
  • “We’ve used games throughout history to almost experiment with trying things out before we put them into reality… Games play a role in understanding the mind of others.”
    — Marcus du Sautoy [31:14]
• In some cultures, games help newlyweds get to know each other.

b. Competition and Connection

• Games channel our competitive instincts safely. The environment fosters camaraderie and acceptance, even after losing [32:09].

c. Monopoly: The Flawed Favorite

• Monopoly is deeply flawed—too slow, too predictable.
  • “Very quickly you realize who’s going to win and then you spend hours just grinding out the bankruptcy of all the other players.”
    — Marcus du Sautoy [33:05]
• Monopolistic gameplay anecdote: Five students played for five days; even the bank “ran out” of money! [34:06]
• Winning Tip: Buy orange properties and stack with hotels; they’re most frequently landed on after jail.

d. Ancient Games and Survival

• Many ancient games (chess, backgammon) are millennia old.
  • The Royal Game of Ur (5,000 years old) led to backgammon, which Marcus calls “almost the perfect game” due to its balance of chance, strategy, and simple rules [36:00–37:20].

e. Math in Simple Games

• Tic Tac Toe: First move should be center or corner for best odds; “never go middle of the row or column as a first move” [37:56].
• Scrabble: Not really a language game at high levels—it’s about learning two-letter words, math-driven strategy, and racking up points. Notable: a French Scrabble world champion didn’t speak French! [44:51]
  • “He didn’t speak a word of French and he became French Scrabble world champion. That really gives the lie to the fact that it’s all about linguistics…”
    — Marcus du Sautoy [45:26]

f. The Psychology of Rock, Paper, Scissors

• It’s about pattern recognition. People tend to unconsciously alternate choices; true randomness often means occasional repeats (rock, rock, rock…).
  • Marcus’ secret: He plays according to the digits of Pi to randomize choices [46:55].
  • “Humans just can’t stop putting patterns into everything they do… It’s very important that you don’t have any patterns yourself.”
    — Marcus du Sautoy [46:55]
• “Randomness clusters together”—unexpected in humans, but key in math.

g. The Evolution of Chess (and Checkers)

• Chess originated in India—originally four-player, dice-based, later evolving after dice were banned [40:08].
• Rules, pieces, and strategies have changed significantly; the queen and bishop were later additions.
• Checkers likely predates chess and appears across cultures with similar “jumping” mechanics. Chess’s major advance: different pieces do different things [42:22].

h. Card Games and Cultural Shifts

• Playing cards, now ubiquitous, evolved over centuries; the modern 52-card deck is a fairly recent development.

3. Fun Facts, Practical Tips, & Memorable Moments

• Notable Quotes:
  • “Some people have even suggested we should be called Homo ludens, the playing species…”
    — Marcus du Sautoy [31:14]
  • “Nostalgia is kind of that way—even people who aren’t naturally pulled to it ... would actually benefit from engaging in it more.”
    — Clay Rutledge [25:05]
• Cat-proofing the Christmas tree:
  • Use orange peels, Bitter Apple spray, or double-sided tape to keep cats away from holiday décor [51:29].
• Birth order theory: Recent studies downplay connections between birth order and personality, though firstborns may show certain traits [02:30–04:30].

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Nostalgia as Emotion and Cognition: [05:56]
• Fading Affect Bias & Comfort of the Past: [07:12]
• What Triggers Nostalgia?: [10:26]
• Personality and Demographics of Nostalgia Proneness: [11:39]
• Social Nature of Memories: [18:34]
• Cultivating Future Nostalgia: [21:38]
• Nostalgia and Age/Feeling Younger: [26:50]
• Introduction to Games Discussion: [30:26]
• Monopoly’s Strategic Flaws: [33:05]
• The Origins of Chess and Backgammon: [35:45]
• Tic Tac Toe Mathematics: [37:23]
• Scrabble and Language vs. Math: [44:51]
• Rock, Paper, Scissors Strategies: [46:55]
• Origins of Playing Cards: [49:45]

Takeaways for Listeners

• Harness nostalgia for well-being: Take time to savor and revisit cherished memories for comfort and motivation.
• Games are more than fun: They reflect human psychology, cultural history, and hidden mathematics—use strategy, pattern recognition, and a spirit of experimentation to get more out of them.
• Try these practical tips
  • Use playlists, photos, or traditions to trigger positive nostalgia.
  • Next Monopoly game? Go for the orange properties!
  • In tic tac toe, start with the center or a corner.
  • Don’t trust your gut in rock, paper, scissors; randomize your choices!
  • Protect your Christmas tree from inquisitive cats with citrus or tape.

This lively, insightful episode blends personal reflection with scientific and mathematical discoveries—reminding us that both our yearning for the past and our love of games are deeply human traits that help us find meaning, connection, and play in daily life.