But think about how products are positioned. I think his comparison with the 50s is a bit simplistic, but think about a product advertisement from those times:

But think about how products are positioned. I think his comparison with the 50s is a bit simplistic, but think about a product advertisement from those times: "This is the widget OF THE FUTURE!". It would be presented very differently now, much more about how it's the cool and chic thing. From a culture of the future to a culture of the past. As an side: he very carefully managed to avoid dropping into the quagmire of "it was so much better back then" by addressing a specific aspect, for which I'm glad. There's plenty to dislike about US culture in the 50's as far as the kind of forward thinking going on ("I'll have a jetpack to fly to work and the missuss will have a jet kitchen to use while she stays at home and raises our jet-children").