In Conclusion
Contemporary popular culture – especially music, film and fashion – is dominated by nostalgia: sequels, “reboots”, “reinterpretations”, and “rehashes” are the norm. Could this be the manifestation of fear of the future, because we inherently know that a future dominated by technology, without mediation by the arts and culture, isn’t somewhere that we necessarily want to go? Are we subconsciously rebelling against the inevitability of the unmediated Internet of Things?
It is important to consider the actual value of the things that we so freely allow to influence our lives. Consider this: what would a world without social media look like? Now contemplate a world without arts and culture. You see, there are limits placed on joy in a life defined by efficiency, while there are no limits to joy in one defined by expression. Digital technology undoubtedly provides tools that help us to manage our hectic modern lives, but it is the arts and culture that provide sanctuary from its difficulties.
View Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
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