So Cool. So Retro

They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Back in my day. Those were simpler times. We’re all, to some degree or another, a little guilty of harking back to a slightly rose-tinted version of something from our past. Before smartphones, before computers, before convenience. When it comes to technology there really is something to be said for recycling the joy you felt when first experiencing something; your first high score or when that first voice-activated doodad blew your mind. Were things ever really objectively “better” though? Are we chasing something too nostalgic which can’t actually be caught?

Your age, dear reader, will determine how much my writing speaks to you on this topic. Some of us will currently be enjoying memories of arcade machines, sticky carpets and pixel graphics. For others, it will be the warm sound of a record player with its pops and crackles. As someone who works with technology every day, there is something of a sense of occasion from items which require more manual manipulation to function. Manually flipping over to the B-side or rolling the windows down to enjoy the sound of a V8, while rapidly become archaic, holds more magic than simply pressing play on an unlimited digital library.

I do however, love convenience. All of my music across any device in my house? Sold. Hands free, voice activation for all of my smart devices? Sign me up. While I like having the option to take the complicated, rewarding route; for my day-to-day music and driving and entertainment, I want things which simply work. Technology should be something which we embrace to make things easier and enrich our lives. A library is a beacon of knowledge and I’ll be the first to advocate for how much nicer it is reading from an actual, paper book over a dimly-lit e-reader. The ability to pull a handy device out of my pocket and have it answer my burning questions in just a few seconds though? Tough to dislike.

In most cases, it isn’t the act of using an object which brings back the fuzzy feelings of a bygone era. Nostalgia’s a double edged sword, and really what we’re usually chasing is the way something; say an old movie or video game, made us feel when we first experienced it. It’s much more personal and difficult to capture than simply buying a modern version of whatever it is we used to enjoy. The popularity of modernized, re-released versions of old games consoles is a good indicator of how many people chase this particular dragon. The danger is when that nostalgia prevents us from moving forward, developing, changing for the better. We become stuck, a luddite, a relic. It’s okay to make coffee in a percolator, but it doesn’t mean an automated, pod-based machine is any less valid in its existence.

It’s in the opinion of this guy anyway, all in the balance. We can enjoy things at their face value while still looking fondly back to previous times. I’ve learned that pursuing those bygone feelings, too often leads to disappointment as while the car or music or hobby may not have changed, the human element most certainly has. Time’s passing and my experiences mean that I’m not the same as I was back in whatever day I’m trying to recapture. The things I enjoyed before were great, the things I’m able to enjoy today are fantastic, and what I’m able to look forward to and expect from the future I’m sure will be sensational. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to change my typewriter ribbon.