The new year is certainly a good time to look forward to the future but to also reflect on the past, and it seems as though everyone is reminiscing about old times and embracing nostalgia, even going as far as saying goodbye to modern technology and welcoming back older tech. But what is the cause of this phenomenon and is older technology really better than the tech of today?
Blast from the Past
the use of physical media among the younger generation has risen dramatically as of mid 2025, mostly as a reaction to nostalgia and an appreciation of the appeared simplicity of the past.
Old tech items such as CD players and Walkman’s are becoming increasingly popular and more commonly owned by teens. This is most definitely influenced by social media’s obsession with the 2000s and mid 2010s, even many celebrities have hoped on the trend by posting their old photos and videos from 2016 to reminisce on the past.
It seems as though everything was simpler back then and as a response to the discord of today, it’s no shock that people are craving the clarity that the past supposedly had.
Access with the youth
As well as the sense of nostalgia that older items evoke, its popularity with gen z and younger generations seems to also steam form how easy it is to get a hold of items like DVD players and DVDs from charity shops and other second hand stores. These stores hold many types of physical media items that people have given away as technology has advanced and become supposedly better, leading to a higher availability.
And talking with the youth of Colchester has further highlighted just how prominent older technology has become.
“I definitely prefer it modern technology, not even just for the nostalgic value but also because it’s a lot more accessible and affordable. Especially with the cost of living, it’s a much better option than spending however much money on streaming subscriptions every month or so, I can see why more people are using it.”
Olivia Panayioti, Colchester local and first year student at the Colchester Sixth Form College.
Digital decline
This retro-tech craze has also emerged as a response to the abuse of modern technology and digital system such as AI and is being used almost as a form of protest against against these systems.
But overall, the The resurface of physical media and older technology reflects how much appreciation the youth have for the past and the amount nostalgia everyone is feeling as we enter the new year, it truly seems as if technology is moving in reverse.
