“Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read,” wrote the English philosopher and statesman, Francis Bacon. This prudence from the past can be updated. I recently bought tickets to a concert, and they arrived digitally. I was disappointed when I could not add them to my ticket stub collection of multicolored strips of heavy stock paper of all the previous concerts I have attended. I wanted to listen to the bands on the way to the concert, yet my vehicle did not have a CD, cassette, or an eight-track player. Oh sure, I could print out a commemorative ticket for the concert or stream the band’s music in the car, but it’s not the same. There is something tactile missing in the world today.
I could speak into a software program to write this essay, yet I chose to use the hundred plus year old technology of the keyboard. This helps me think about what I am writing. In a world where speed and efficiency rule the day, old things help us slow down to reflect. This reflection helps me clarify my thoughts and allows for deeper penetration of meaning and understanding. There is a place for the coming Artificial Intelligence revolution, and I embrace its ability to speed up the gathering of information and doing mundane tasks, yet there is something familiar, comfortable and even magical in the experience of opening an old dictionary, encyclopedia, or a thesaurus and exploring an idea or the discovery of information. It seems like Western society is losing the sensation of wonder that one used to engage in and touch real things.
Think about the convenience the digital world brings. In your smart phone you most likely have thousands of photographs. You can carry them with you to show and share with ease. Yet, I enjoy looking at my family’s old photo books with square Brownie quality images of long past relatives and my mind goes to what life was like back in those days. I don’t get that same experience scrolling on glass like I do with holding a piece of the past.
I find myself longing for a simpler time, although it was harder and not nearly as palliative. Nostalgia, like an old story among friends, brings warmth to the heart and feelings of better times. Remember in grade school the sweet smell of activity sheets reproduced from the mimeograph machines with their purple ink? And yes, I did place the paper to my nose and inhale. Do you remember opening a can of Play-Doh and the aroma wafting over you or playing “cops and robbers” with your cap gun and that sulfur stench once the trigger was pulled and the sparks flew. All these experiences trigger my memories of days gone by. Were they truly better days or is my mind only remembering the pleasant parts of those years?
There is a recalibration of society going on and it causes me to reach back for those familiar things of certainty. I know that’s why I enjoy visiting records shops, used bookstores and antique markets. I like the taste of familiar foods like meatloaf and mac and cheese. I enjoy listening to familiar music and listening to long ago tales that make a point. They are evergreen and lasting. Production, innovation, and technology make our lives better in almost every aspect as they transform our world. However, old wood makes lasting furniture, old wine ferments the brain and loosens the tongue for conversation, old friends are honest and will tell you the truth, and old authors share their lives, experiences, and wisdom on paper. Perhaps the things of the past can be integrated and balanced with the technology of the present. Only time will tell.
In the meantime, write a letter or send a postcard to someone. They will be grateful for the time you took to write them. Find your old film camera and take a walk and photograph what you see on a roll of film. Pull out your old vinyl records and read the liner notes like you did when you first bought that new artist album. Read a physical book and enjoy the tactile experience of holding the words. Participate in a local organization that teaches calligraphy, stamp collecting, or coin collecting. You’ll meet amazing people who share your interests.
Incorporating these older technologies and activities will bring meaningful interactions and points of view that create bonds, community, and a more grounded pace of life. Perhaps the knowledge of the past can be incorporated into the wisdom of the future.
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