Walking into a record store in Studio City with my wife, Kelly, I realized I could not remember the last time I played a vinyl album. Even CDs have given way to streaming. Kelly mentioned the 1990s are trending among young people. Some high school students are forming Luddite clubs, trading smartphones for basic flip phones without apps. It makes sense. The ’90s were the last decade we lived without smartphones and social media, when going out with friends meant actual conversation.
Flirting with the ’90s may be fun, but living in the ’90s would be challenging. A group of students at St. John’s College in New Mexico learned this firsthand when they temporarily gave up smartphones for a more analog lifestyle, only to discover the dorm laundry machines required a smartphone app.
It’s worth noting what we lost when the ’90s ended. It may have been the last time we shared a common popular culture. Before streaming fractured our attention, we watched the same shows, heard the same music and talked about the same things. Except for sports, how much common cultural ground do we have left?
I’m glad some young people are curious enough to experiment with simpler living. And yes, I plan to put our turntable to use. But give up my iPhone? Not a chance.
Philip Wasserman
Stevenson Ranch
