A combination of elements, a mere idea transforms into something new.
From Polaroid to Instagram, railroad to internet, snail mail to email, what is the future but a remix of stems mashed up and built on top of extant systems.
We introduce new things and promptly forget that they already existed, in the guise of an outdated format.
What is new are the experiences and artifacts. We cultivate a new culture from upgrades in a medium. But novelty is not always benevolent.
For instance, once a beacon of hope, the internet went from green fields of opportunity to havens of extreme darkness.
But just as trying to escape demons gives them power, finding little pockets of light sprinkle elements of hope.
Some carry on, clinging to the optimism of 1994. For many others, 1984 is just getting started.