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That was certainly the bet about a decade or two ago in many industries. Now, over the past 5 years or so we're seeing online tech magazines move into print[0]

That was certainly the bet about a decade or two ago in many industries. Now, over the past 5 years or so we're seeing online tech magazines move into print[0], record labels racing to get back up to speed for vinyl printing[1], and "lo-fi" looks and sounds and devices taking up a larger and larger space in pop culture[2]. If anything, I get the sense that the younger generations are seeing the value in attention and peace, and are moving in directions that afford them more of that—or at least control over that in their own lives and thoughts. The general attitude, at least as far as I've discerned from my own observations, has been that "everything has it's optimal place" rather than adopting one tech to rule them all. [0] https://store.increment.com https://store.increment.com [1] https://longlivevinyl.net/2018/07/30/pressing-concerns-the-new-breed-of-vinyl-pressing-plant/ https://longlivevinyl.net/2018/07/30/pressing-concerns-the-n... [2] I don't have a nice summary for this one. It's just everywhere I look. As with most things, I gather humanity is continually optimizing for itself. And what that looks like is what most gamblers usually get wrong because our foresight is often just that limited—especially when the result is going back to something most people thought we were done with. We are just a bunch of monkeys acting strangely, after all.

lupire 6y ago
Retro always has a hipster niche. But it's not mainstream majority.
- 52-6F-62 6y ago
  The article on vinyl production points at a market much larger than a "hipster niche"—it's the very source of the production issues they faced: the resurgent market was much larger than any company in the industry predicted. It's not about "retro", it's about ephemera and ritual and appreciation. Certainly, dedicated fans of music exist in all aspects of human culture and not just western ...hipsterdom.
agumonkey 6y ago
I saw this a little ago and even though it's true that old ways have value, even in smartphone AR/VR era, I also have a feel that this revival was more or less a dead cat bounce and not something that will grow much more. Kids today live in the era of real time video + AR filters.. there's a chance that this represent their magic / zeitgeist.
- 52-6F-62 6y ago
  Kids grow up. The instant gratification hit gives way over time as we gain exposure to the world, and to mastery. Without a doubt real-time video sharing and VR/AR will colour our world and help shape the future. They already have. But that's not the point I was making. It's that, without certain knowledge of the future many people are willing to generalize and write off "old technology" in a fleeting way and without reflection. Upon further reflection (using the music industry as an example), something like a vinyl music record was optimized for human attention and appreciation of a certain type of artwork. The industry, beginning in the 80's through the early 2000's, figured people would only care for convenience, and "good-enough" quality. The current market forces have shown them to be wrong in their assumption that was the sum of what made music listening and purchases worthwhile. In reality, the experience from end-to-end really shaped the value of it. From the sensual aspects of browsing a record store—smells, feeling, sociability, exposure to new art—to taking the physical object home, opening it, and performing the ritual of setting it on the turntable and tuning a system to play it back to your pleasure. A lot of that was lost in the novelty of being able to carry your favourite songs everywhere in your pocket. The industry adapted, began to shut down old production facilities and retire old machinery. When the novelty wore off and people were seeking more of an experience and less commodity the industry was not prepared for it. It's getting there now. And I think we've ended up with what's approaching the best of all possible worlds: we've got convenience when we want it, and a selection of encompassing experiences for those who appreciate them. The big mistake was the same big mistake humanity will make over and over again as it optimizes for itself: hubris. Illustrated by: "We've learned something new and incredible! Well now we know everything." We never do, of course. But regardless, barring some forced eternal austerity or all-consuming catastrophe, humanity continues to optimize for itself always narrowing on on the mean good (often exercising a range of potential outcomes along the way from inconsequential to horrendous). Relating to the larger subject at hand: paper is optimal in so many ways and the environmental aspects become only technical problems to be solved, not philosophical ones about whether or not it's worth it. Being so ready to erase something like that and force humanity onto tablet computers or some other novel technology is such a fine illustration of hubris it's almost trite.
  - 6y ago

lupire 6y ago

Retro always has a hipster niche. But it's not mainstream majority.

52-6F-62 6y ago
The article on vinyl production points at a market much larger than a "hipster niche"—it's the very source of the production issues they faced: the resurgent market was much larger than any company in the industry predicted. It's not about "retro", it's about ephemera and ritual and appreciation. Certainly, dedicated fans of music exist in all aspects of human culture and not just western ...hipsterdom.

agumonkey 6y ago

I saw this a little ago and even though it's true that old ways have value, even in smartphone AR/VR era, I also have a feel that this revival was more or less a dead cat bounce and not something that will grow much more. Kids today live in the era of real time video + AR filters.. there's a chance that this represent their magic / zeitgeist.

52-6F-62 6y ago
Kids grow up. The instant gratification hit gives way over time as we gain exposure to the world, and to mastery. Without a doubt real-time video sharing and VR/AR will colour our world and help shape the future. They already have. But that's not the point I was making. It's that, without certain knowledge of the future many people are willing to generalize and write off "old technology" in a fleeting way and without reflection. Upon further reflection (using the music industry as an example), something like a vinyl music record was optimized for human attention and appreciation of a certain type of artwork. The industry, beginning in the 80's through the early 2000's, figured people would only care for convenience, and "good-enough" quality. The current market forces have shown them to be wrong in their assumption that was the sum of what made music listening and purchases worthwhile. In reality, the experience from end-to-end really shaped the value of it. From the sensual aspects of browsing a record store—smells, feeling, sociability, exposure to new art—to taking the physical object home, opening it, and performing the ritual of setting it on the turntable and tuning a system to play it back to your pleasure. A lot of that was lost in the novelty of being able to carry your favourite songs everywhere in your pocket. The industry adapted, began to shut down old production facilities and retire old machinery. When the novelty wore off and people were seeking more of an experience and less commodity the industry was not prepared for it. It's getting there now. And I think we've ended up with what's approaching the best of all possible worlds: we've got convenience when we want it, and a selection of encompassing experiences for those who appreciate them. The big mistake was the same big mistake humanity will make over and over again as it optimizes for itself: hubris. Illustrated by: "We've learned something new and incredible! Well now we know everything." We never do, of course. But regardless, barring some forced eternal austerity or all-consuming catastrophe, humanity continues to optimize for itself always narrowing on on the mean good (often exercising a range of potential outcomes along the way from inconsequential to horrendous). Relating to the larger subject at hand: paper is optimal in so many ways and the environmental aspects become only technical problems to be solved, not philosophical ones about whether or not it's worth it. Being so ready to erase something like that and force humanity onto tablet computers or some other novel technology is such a fine illustration of hubris it's almost trite.
- 6y ago