Nostalgia’s Limit at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

As someone who really wants to visit the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park and is also very nostalgia-prone, I really appreciate Matt Poppe’s recent Christ and Pop Culture piece on his visit to Disney’s latest attraction:

It feels bigger than just avoiding boredom or seeking dopamine hits. It feels more consequential than escapism and fantasy. It’s an ache of longing that haunts me on my most faithless days, my most frenetic and insatiable days, when the ecstasies of nostalgia and unfettered immersion feel like they’re slipping away with each pulse of the cantina band beat, limited to just two drinks and forty-five minutes.

Pop culture, as delightful, immersive, and varied as it can be, can never truly satisfy our deepest desires. At best, it can make us aware that we have such longings — and remind us that ultimately, we must look beyond anything crafted by human hands for their fulfillment.