I think physical media is the best. I love the pop of opening a Blu-Ray or DVD case, the smell of books, and the crackling of a vinyl record right before it begins playing music.
I’ve been hearing so much about how people born in the 2000s only know iPhones and irony, but that’s not true (at least not for me)!
I grew up with VHS tapes, digital cameras that filmed home videos, landlines (which I still use), and cassette players. All of these “ancient relics” made me who I am and seeing the resurgence of physical media is making my heart swell with nostalgia.
Whenever I open up Pinterest, I’ve been noticing pins dedicated to the analogue world. I recognize the irony of it, but it’s still something that, I think, is positive. Seeing these pins brings me immense joy. Looking at images of a small TV set in someone’s kitchen? Sign me up!
This turn back toward physical media hasn’t been overnight, but I think it may have something to do with our desire to make things simpler so that we can slow down as opposed to the hustle and bustle of our capitalistic society.
The rise of social media and, unfortunately, of AI, have made us far more reliant on technology and we tend to take things for granted. I’ve noticed the rise in technological dependency has diminished our abilities to put in more effort with our work and relationships.
This turn back in time may be beneficial for us.
The box TVs and stereos that were ubiquitous in the 90s and 2000s aren’t going to erase the anxieties of modernity, but this shift back to older technology can help us with being more intentional with how we live. Of course, past decades weren’t without problems, but there is still a difference between the world then and the world now.
Streaming, in particular, has made everything too convenient and overwhelming in my view. When opening Netflix, we’re presented with too many options that it can be hard to choose what to watch, so we just look at previews for 30 minutes and don’t watch anything at all. Music streaming, too, has made us less intentional. So many genres and songs are right at our fingertips that, often, we don’t take the time to actually listen.
Paperbacks and hardcovers can’t be replaced by a Kindle. I strongly feel that Nintendo console video games are far superior to games downloaded on your phone. Sorting through a CD collection is way more fun than scrolling through a streaming service to decide which music to play.
Don’t even get me started on the difference between taking photos on your phone as opposed to a film or digital camera. As the youngest in my family, I’m fortunate that I grew up around people who have preserved analogue ways of life. Yeah, I use modern technology and it can be great. I’m grateful for the Maps app and not having to outline a route with a pen. My Music app is the main reason I use my phone. But, I still watch cable TV and I get magazine catalogues in the mail, which I love flipping through.
I believe this revert back to older technology not only serves as nostalgic reminiscence, but it can help us live a more balanced life, so that we don’t desire the constant stimulation that newer technology provides. Hitting shuffle and connecting to Bluetooth is so cool, I won’t deny it, but each day I lament the fact that my car doesn’t have a CD player. As the world keeps spinning and technological developments keep arising, we can appreciate new inventions, but it’s also okay to resist them or dislike them.
I miss the sense of community Blockbuster and Rogers Video brought. I miss when my parents would play their mixtapes when they drove me to school. We can’t exactly go back to a time that’s passed, but we can revisit it and implement some of those ways of life into how we live now.
If you don’t have your own collection of physical media, guess what? The library does! I urge you to go to the library where you can rent movies, books, CDs, and so much more for free.
If you’re reading this physical copy of The Cascade, thanks for doing your part.
