What’s Old is New Again
As our pop culture evolves, we can become incessantly preoccupied with staying on top of the most recent and popular trends in music, fashion, and entertainment. However, peering into the past can bestow us with the inspiration to re-live iconic moments in time (barring, just perhaps, the questionable, though lovable, hair of the 80’s).
In recent years, our relationship with technology has been influenced by retro culture. In a world where millions of songs are instantly available through a myriad of disembodied streaming services, many are now flocking to vinyl for a more wholesome experience. In fact, vinyl sales experienced a record high in 2017, perhaps stimulated by a longing for tangible, high-quality experiences. Vinyl enthusiasts savor the experience of visiting record shops and having an uncompressed listening experience. What is more, vinyl records can be traded, re-sold, or passed down, unlike an MP3 file.
Recent films and television have also embraced the use of retro music and style. Take, for instance, the 80’s inspired soundtrack to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise or Baby Driver, an action film set to hit 70’s rock records. Stranger Things, the popular sci-fi/horror television series, offers homage to 80’s genre movies and has given rise to a movement of similar, nostalgia-ridden films and television shows.
However, some argue that retro culture is uninspired or outdated. Perhaps the rise of retro culture is a sign that we have lost the ability to create new cultural movements. Further, looking through the past with rose tinted glasses may cause us to create some form of revisionist history— expelling negative recollections of the past.
Paying tribute to the past is a form of shared remembrance of the people and art that have given way our culture. The recollection or rediscovery of the past allows for us to recognize the ever-shifting tectonic plates of our culture. By bringing the past to life, we open our eyes to a whole new world— perhaps even into that of our parents or even our grandparents.
Some songs hold a sort of cultural permanence and some styles from three decades ago may look ever so fashionable today. Instead of becoming so immersed in today’s momentary ups and downs, we should take a step outside of our comfort zone and appreciate the timelessness of certain cultural moments.
On behalf of the Armijo Signal, I bid you to explore the rich culture of the past and embrace the retro revolution. It is only by reflecting on the past that we can truly experience the beauty of the present.
