Passing Of The Torch: When will the things we love look "old"

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

The algorithms got me down pat.

They know I love "old video games" and food. They show me some really good food too, but recently they've been failing me on the video game front.

 

...Or have they?

 

I've been noticing a lot of Nintendo 64, and PS1 stuff pop into my feed, where I used to see a lot of NES, SNES, Game Boy, and Genesis stuff.

Below is something I got on YouTube today. I agree with the guy that Rare had no business making that pause music that good...but *this* is what qualifies for "old game" on my feeds now.

I've also been noticing that my pants are starting to sit above my waist, modern music makes no sense, and the young people's hair all looks like uncooked ramen.

Now get off my lawn while I play Mega Man 4.

[GetTheGreg | 105]

hahah I got hit with this video on FB randomly.  Are we really this simple of people....!?

[Brickman | 3,995]

I think the Simpsons summed it up very well.

"I used to be with 'it', but then they changed what 'it was'. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what's 'it' seems weird and scary. And it'll happen to you!"

 

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

7 minutes ago, Maertens29 said:

hahah I got hit with this video on FB randomly.  Are we really this simple of people....!?

The answer is yes.

We will like what they feed us, lest we eat nothing at all.

[DefaultGen | 5,413]

People on Reddit argue that Xbox 360, a console whose last release is Just Dance 2019 and still has online servers up, is "retro". Safe to say whatever you love is old.

[scaryice | 589]

4 hours ago, Shmup said:

I think the Simpsons summed it up very well.

"I used to be with 'it', but then they changed what 'it was'. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what's 'it' seems weird and scary. And it'll happen to you!"

 

Simpsons memes = old. Perfect example for this thread, since the show hasn't been cool for 20 years...

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

With how fast things change I would say almost anything outside of a decade could be considered 'old'. Even watching stuff from the mid-2000s is starting to look quite dated, especially if it's technology oriented. I find it interesting to think about how some technology limits seem to be plateauing like phones, computers, etc. to an extent. Like I feel the difference between 2020 and 2010 isn't nearly as drastic as the decades between 1940 and 2010 (ex. the difference between 1990 and 1980 or 2000 and 1990).

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

2 hours ago, Andy_Bogomil said:

With how fast things change I would say almost anything outside of a decade could be considered 'old'. Even watching stuff from the mid-2000s is starting to look quite dated, especially if it's technology oriented. I find it interesting to think about how some technology limits seem to be plateauing like phones, computers, etc. to an extent. Like I feel the difference between 2020 and 2010 isn't nearly as drastic as the decades between 1940 and 2010 (ex. the difference between 1990 and 1980 or 2000 and 1990).

It seems like we haven’t had a true “new” technology thing since the 90’s. Which I think is why time is becoming increasingly streamlined without really clear breaks in culture. I mean can you think of a big invention or tech that has defined a timeframe past the 90’s? The last thing I can think of was the internet or cellphones  in the 90’s, the pc before that. We’ve just iterated on the same stuff over and over for the past 20 years. 

[JamesRobot | 5,806]

2 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

It seems like we haven’t had a true “new” technology thing since the 90’s. Which I think is why time is becoming increasingly streamlined without really clear breaks in culture. I mean can you think of a big invention or tech that has defined a timeframe past the 90’s? The last thing I can think of was the internet or cellphones  in the 90’s, the pc before that. We’ve just iterated on the same stuff over and over for the past 20 years. 

Smartphones.  Handheld internet has had as great an impact as the internet itself.  Maybe greater.

[OptOut | 8,889]

2 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

Smartphones.  Handheld internet has had as great an impact as the internet itself.  Maybe greater.

Yeah, I can jerk it pretty much wherever I want now, it's great! 

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

10 hours ago, JamesRobot said:

Smartphones.  Handheld internet has had as great an impact as the internet itself.  Maybe greater.

I think the majority of that was seen in the 2000-2010 decade... seems like phones have essentially been selling in the past 10 years on gimmicks and updated cameras. While I do think technology will continue to advance it feels like we are leveling off from the huge leap from post WW2 to the smart phone era. Maybe it's just easier to envision since it's already taken place and the future is yet to be seen. I just don't think putting touch screens and useless tech in fridges, cars, etc. is a major leap forward.

[Brickman | 3,995]

While some tech like gaming consoles/mobile phones might not seem like they're making huge leaps, they are in other areas like AI and VR. Also self driving cars and EV cars have made huge leaps. I think AI, VR and EV's will define this decade (besides COVID). 

Also I wouldn't discredit what phones cameras can do. What a phone camera can do compared to even 10 years ago is amazing. The new iPhone camera is amazing tech.

[Tyree_Cooper | 757]

you love old food? eh why not, i guess cheese and wine, stuff like that

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

This type of thing is why I stopped looking at Victoria Secret catalogs. The rest is just part of my "stupidity never grows old" way of thinking. 

[Link | 2,714]

I've also felt like cultural and technological change are slowing down, but the 2007 episode of Bojack Horseman somewhat disabused me of that notion. It is hard to see these things in the moment. They become more obvious or magnified in hindsight. 

Along with AI, VR and EVs like @Shmupmentioned, there's tons of tech being developed that may (admittedly or may not) have significant impact that we really can't predict right now, although if you read a lot of sci-fi, which was originally called speculative fiction, you could imagine some possibilities. Nanotech (both bots and tubes), flexible fabric, and drones all have possibilities to enable enormous changes that we don't see yet. 

In the meantime, I'll agree along the lines that the future we wanted was big (transportation, flying cars, high speed or teleportation, humanoid robots) and the future we got, so far, has been small (pocket computerphonecameras, apps and websites, LED lighting e v e r y w h e r e). I wouldn't discount the potential of what we've got going now on just because we're not in Jetsons Orbit City yet. 

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

11 hours ago, Shmup said:

While some tech like gaming consoles/mobile phones might not seem like they're making huge leaps, they are in other areas like AI and VR. Also self driving cars and EV cars have made huge leaps. I think AI, VR and EV's will define this decade (besides COVID). 

Also I wouldn't discredit what phones cameras can do. What a phone camera can do compared to even 10 years ago is amazing. The new iPhone camera is amazing tech.

Yeah, it's true that some of the tech built into the phones is pretty crazy but I don't think it's a drastic leap - more just refining what's already there. I could just be ignorant about the subject but most of the daily use is throwing filters over someone's face for the typical person even though I know there are superior tech for more specific reasons. AI certainly has made huge leaps in recent years, but again, I don't think a lot of that is applicable to every day life - but this could lead to major breakthroughs in the coming years.

I do agree about EV and self driving cars making huge leaps. I remember watching a show on Discovery in the mid 2000s about self driving vehicles and it had an SUV with massive cameras and equipment on it trying to drive through a very basic obstacle course at a snail's pace. Can't believe these are on the road already with relatively little issue. EVs are great but long over due in my opinion... vehicles had remained relatively unchanged for the last century.

I generally agree that some of the tech like AI, quantum computing, etc. could be a massive factor moving forward, but I just don't see the impact on day to day just yet. I guess it just boils down to what I said previously about not seeing as much cultural and technological changes for everyday life in the last decade compared to those previously. Seems like 2000-2020 has been more or a 'refining' era for already existing tech.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Andy_Bogomil

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

7 hours ago, Andy_Bogomil said:

Yeah, it's true that some of the tech built into the phones is pretty crazy but I don't think it's a drastic leap - more just refining what's already there. I could just be ignorant about the subject but most of the daily use is throwing filters over someone's face for the typical person even though I know there are superior tech for more specific reasons. AI certainly has made huge leaps in recent years, but again, I don't think a lot of that is applicable to every day life - but this could lead to major breakthroughs in the coming years.

I do agree about EV and self driving cars making huge leaps. I remember watching a show on Discovery in the mid 2000s about self driving vehicles and it had an SUV with massive cameras and equipment on it trying to drive through a very basic obstacle course at a snail's pace. Can't believe these are on the road already with relatively little issue. EVs are great but long over due in my opinion... vehicles had remained relatively unchanged for the last century.

I generally agree that some of the tech like AI, quantum computing, etc. could be a massive factor moving forward, but I just don't see the impact on day to day just yet. I guess it just boils down to what I said previously about not seeing as much cultural and technological changes for everyday life in the last decade compared to those previously. Seems like 2000-2020 has been more or a 'refining' era for already existing tech.

This is what I was basically trying to get at, but you said it much better. The thing about AI and all that is correct they’re making big leaps but its not a “cultural thing” yet. Computers were around for decades before they really became a “thing.” When we hit some critical mass where the majority encounter (not necessarily participate in) something like a self driving car on a daily basis, thats when you hit the “explosion” and it becomes a clear change in the way we do things

[Brickman | 3,995]

7 hours ago, Andy_Bogomil said:

Yeah, it's true that some of the tech built into the phones is pretty crazy but I don't think it's a drastic leap - more just refining what's already there. I could just be ignorant about the subject but most of the daily use is throwing filters over someone's face for the typical person even though I know there are superior tech for more specific reasons. AI certainly has made huge leaps in recent years, but again, I don't think a lot of that is applicable to every day life - but this could lead to major breakthroughs in the coming years.

I do agree about EV and self driving cars making huge leaps. I remember watching a show on Discovery in the mid 2000s about self driving vehicles and it had an SUV with massive cameras and equipment on it trying to drive through a very basic obstacle course at a snail's pace. Can't believe these are on the road already with relatively little issue. EVs are great but long over due in my opinion... vehicles had remained relatively unchanged for the last century.

I generally agree that some of the tech like AI, quantum computing, etc. could be a massive factor moving forward, but I just don't see the impact on day to day just yet. I guess it just boils down to what I said previously about not seeing as much cultural and technological changes for everyday life in the last decade compared to those previously. Seems like 2000-2020 has been more or a 'refining' era for already existing tech.

We’ll have to agree to disagree I suppose. There have been major technology shifts in the last twenty years that are just as big or even bigger than 1980-2000.

- Mobile phones and tablets with computing power that could only be dreamed of

- Google maps

- online shopping

- Netflix and other streaming services 

- Social media: has changed the world we live in for the better and the worse depending how you look at it

- AI: things like the da Vinci have been created. 

- Autonomous vehicles: you won’t see this day to day but mining has been changed for the better with self driving trucks and trains. Which has benefited supply chains

-drones: just starting delivering packages but have been a game changer in the military.

-space: I don’t know enough about the subject but the last ten years have seen some game changes like space x’s re usable rockets 

I don’t think this has been thephleo’s intention with the thread but it has been an interesting discussion

[Estil | 1,265]

On 12/6/2021 at 6:10 PM, Shmup said:

I think the Simpsons summed it up very well.

"I used to be with 'it', but then they changed what 'it was'. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what's 'it' seems weird and scary. And it'll happen to you!"

No way!  Disco will NEVER die!  

 

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

1 hour ago, Shmup said:

We’ll have to agree to disagree I suppose. There have been major technology shifts in the last twenty years that are just as big or even bigger than 1980-2000.

- Mobile phones and tablets with computing power that could only be dreamed of

- Google maps

- online shopping

- Netflix and other streaming services 

- Social media: has changed the world we live in for the better and the worse depending how you look at it

- AI: things like the da Vinci have been created. 

- Autonomous vehicles: you won’t see this day to day but mining has been changed for the better with self driving trucks and trains. Which has benefited supply chains

-drones: just starting delivering packages but have been a game changer in the military.

-space: I don’t know enough about the subject but the last ten years have seen some game changes like space x’s re usable rockets 

I don’t think this has been thephleo’s intention with the thread but it has been an interesting discussion

Absolutely... very interesting indeed. The more I think about it the more I tend to agree with you and also realize the bias of living in the moment. I also think with the internet being such a massive, massive change for everyday life almost overnight in the mid-late 90s that it's masks significant changes made over the last 10 years. The same can be said about cell phones, where in the early 90s they were uncommon to own and then by 2000 almost everyone had one. 

Google Maps and streaming are ones I thought of last night that I definitely agree with. I was thinking about downloading gif files and short clips on Limewire or whatever program in the early to mid-2000s and now we can just insert them on the fly in chat/messages/forums.

I would also say blutooth is another tech that has really helped over the last 10 years. I looked everywhere for a controller for my ipod touch in 2009 and now you can literally go to the dollar store and pick up a shit blu tooth controller. Same with wireless speakers and such... it's the norm now. 

[GPX | 1,370]

The things we love will look old once we start to develop cataracts or macular degeneration. Because let’s face it, once everything looks blurry, nothing will look new!

———————

Bad jokes aside, I would like to give a philosophical take on this topic. That is, “age is but a number” and “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. For me in particular, I love games from the 90s. No doubt most people would regard them as “old” or “retro”, but I always see them as “games I love”, Whether to play or to discover, I’m constantly adding 1 or 2 games every now and then, and regularly watching YouTube videos regarding games from the 80s-90s. There is so much to learn and to be entertained from these “old” relics that I can’t stop loving them!

So I guess the things we love will look old when...we lose interest in them? Or maybe they will never look old?

[T-Pac | 7,560]

I've always been an insufferable nonconformist, and getting old just makes it easier since I don't know what's popular/mainstream now anyway. The only risk is being trendy by accident sometimes.

-CasualCart

[Gloves | 11,794]

40 minutes ago, CasualCart said:

I've always been an insufferable nonconformist, and getting old just makes it easier since I don't know what's popular/mainstream now anyway. The only risk is being trendy by accident sometimes.

-CasualCart

Jokes on you, it's heckin' cool to be a nonconformist these days!

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

56 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Jokes on you, it's heckin' cool to be a nonconformist these days!

All the cool non-conformists, conform. That will show society that you are so anti that you actually are just doing whatever everyone else is, but doing it with the intent of being opposite  and not doing it by doing it….*head explodes*

[T-Pac | 7,560]

20 hours ago, Gloves said:

Jokes on you, it's heckin' cool to be a nonconformist these days!

 

19 hours ago, MrWunderful said:

All the cool non-conformists, conform. 

Well in that case ...

-CasualCart