Humans are instinctively creatures of habit; they love routine and will do anything to preserve it. However, humans are also always making progress. Progress in the form of social change, scientific change, and technological change especially. Somewhat ironic, right? These two ideals are polar opposites—progression and rigidness. Yet, people love both, and a perfect blend of these two ideas is found in our obsession with the past.

 Sure, people love their iPhones and being able to stream music on demand using Spotify or Apple Music, but many music connoisseurs still love being able to crack open a classic record player and put on  a vinyl record of their favorite albums. Despite the obvious inconvenience, people still spend so much money on record players and DVDs due to their appreciation for the past. In fact, 43% of all albums sold last year were on vinyl (a whopping 43.46 million copies). This is not just a yearlong trend. Vinyl sales have consistently increased every year for the last 17 years. Even if playing music on vinyl or DVD requires more effort, time, and thoughtfulness, people continue to come back and appreciate it. This begs the question: why are people coming back to vinyl, even if they are technology of the past? Well, the answer is simple. Many find a sense of nostalgia when putting on a record, while others simply believe records have a higher sounding quality. What has made the revival of record players even more fascinating is the amount of youth who have also contributed to this second wave. Many teenagers buy special prints of their favorite albums, pressed with different color vinyl, or autographed, or customized. The modern touch has been placed upon record players, but their sentiment and historical relevance have remained the same. Whatever it may be, people still come back to technologies or inventions that used to be commonplace, and the world has made the past fashionable.

Another prime example of the re-emergence of older technology is the use of analog cameras. Digital cameras have largely replaced the traditional analog camera, and for the more casual consumer, using phone cameras has become the primary way to take pictures. However, there is still a large amount of people who continue to invest in analog cameras. Antique cameras are collected by those who grew up using them or people who are just enjoyers of history and its technology. More than that, many simply prefer the filter cast on photos taken by an older-style camera, creating a unique, vintage look. This is also no temporary fad, as Yahoo reports that in the last 8 years, film camera sales have increased by 900%. In general, taking non-digital photos also has a personal touch because it is tangible, and enables users to manipulate the creation of the picture naturally, whether that be through shaking a Polaroid or scratching the film. 

So to answer our original question, humans love coming back to obscure past technology and items because they hold a sentimental value to them. For some, it is a feeling of nostalgia—using past inventions allows them to hold onto some element of their childhood.  For others, they get to experience what life was like during that time period. Obviously, these aren’t the only reasons people love old things but in the end, it comes down to one’s own personal opinions and attachments. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.