It's true: we live in a world run by corporations, the members of which strive every day to develop newer, faster, cheaper and easier technologies—"better" ways to do things.
But will anything ever be good enough to be left the way it is?
The answer is, yes.
A few classics have outlasted generations of trends.
Similar to the "Most Underrated Things" post from a while back, this is a short list of irreplaceable originals, things that will never go out of style. Before I begin, let me give a pre-cursor: I am always making lists. I suppose I make them to mentally sort through my experiences; so that as I age I may surround myself with only the good, and all the best, things in life. So, here it goes:
1. Candles. Something about a real fire just cannot be replicated. Open flames, despite all the potential for disaster, have never lost appeal. And dinner by candlelight is just sexy.
2. Wallet photos. Today, anyone with a cell phone can click a button to instantly take and store a photo in their memory card. Yet no matter how impractical and unnecessary they may be, I cannot help but favor old-school wallet photos. There's something endearing and meaningful about carrying a person's actual photo in your wallet.
3. Hand-written letters. No email, text, nor Facebook message can duplicate the excitement you feel when you receive a handwritten letter in the mail. The key to my heart? Good ole snail mail.
4. Cooking. Yes, crafting a home-cooked meal is rather laborious compared to microwaving a Hotpocket or swinging by McDonald's. And it's risky business if you're not experienced in the kitchen. Yet all the time spent on preparation and labor makes the reward that much tastier when your meal is finally ready. Furthermore, cooking for yourself means you have some kind of connection to what you're putting in your mouth, as opposed to mindless and joyless consumption.
That's it for now. If you have anything to add to this brief list, by all means share.
Drawing on PAPER. No matter how advanced digital technology may get, to the point where I can now draw directly on my computer screen and work with hundreds of tools and effects that pencil and paper couldn't handle without falling apart, the fact is the feel, friction, and control of paper and pencil can't possibly be replicated. I may not be able to instantly share with everybody and their mom, but I'd never trade the warmth of my notebooks for the cold of a computer screen.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the human voice. Auto-Tune can suck it.
Wonderful additions, Juan. I can't stand Auto-Tune either. Also, add Live Music to this list (thanks, Maggie Lea!)
ReplyDelete