The Fashionable Taste for Less Practical Things
- Ky Chamna
- August 15, 2020 6:35 AM
Arts and fashion with a mix of nostalgia.
As technology advanced so rapidly at the dawn of the 21st century, objects and creations of the 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s or even the 1980s have become more or less impractical for today’s use. Stuff like vinyl record players, cassettes, typewriters as well as older Vespa scooter models are overshadowed by the advances in technology.
Nevertheless, this is how civilizations progress. Tasks that require physical effort are slowly turning into automated ones. The age of automation is on its way. Despite the unstoppable pace of technological progress, some people continue the tradition of finding and giving meanings to old, impractical, nostalgic objects and creations.
Over the last decade, a growing number of Cambodians have started to value these old objects. Furthermore, these objects are fetching increasingly high prices on the market. Old stuffs should not always just end up at the dump site. They are meant to be exhibited. They are meant to connect people from different generations. Our civilizations are mainly defined by the things that we create and use.
Amidst this era filled with artificial intelligence and truly wireless connections, some young people cannot just turn their back on the ancestors of this current technology. Exhibiting collections of objects from past eras in cafes has become a common and popular occurrence. Some motorcycle companies have started featuring new models with old and nostalgic looks. Ultra-famous singers from the 1960s in Cambodia strike a chord with the younger generations. From day to day, this trend emerges slowly, yet steadily.
Preserve the old. Explore the new.
