The New New Romantics

This is an updated version of my 'Retro to Rescue' article.

"That's Adam Ant, right?"

"Yep"

"The prettiest pop star of the Eighties?"

"Yep"

"So, is this a newsletter all about him?"

"Nope"

Sorry to disappoint, I have you here under false pretences. This newsletter isn't about Adam Ant, it's a look at series of trends I am grouping and calling 'The New, New Romantics', hence the spurious link to Mr. Ant.

In his Substack article 'Notes Towards A New Romanticism' ,Ted Gioia writes, 'the technocracy had grown so oppressive and manipulative it would spur a backlash. And that our rebellion might resemble the Romanticist Movement of the early 1800s.'

He writes in more detail on what that might look like, drawing comparisons with the first Romantic movement (not the eighties pop subculture). I think he has a point about a reaction to technocratic over-reach, and I've noticed several trends and changes in behaviour, particularly in Gen Z, which feel like they could be part of a bigger movement.

Gen Z is gravitating to older, seemingly 'out-moded' tech, from shooting on film to collecting vinyl to learning to crotchet. What's driving this phenomenon? Surely, the young are naturally attracted to the new and shiny…so what gives?

This is about something more than the whimsical appeal of the old-fashioned; It's a push from this generation to reclaim their personal sovereignty and individual agency.

Let's look at some trends and see if there might be a pattern.

Much to the dismay of advertisers, Gen Z is abandoning social media for WhatsApp and private message groups. As I wrote on LinkedIn, it's a generation rejecting the idea that they are just a node in the network passively waiting to be marketed to and nudged to buy stuff. They assert their right to actively select the groups they choose to hang out with online and offline.

Did you know that Gen Z is the largest consumer of physical books by generation? This trend could be a reaction to a world where online texts can be altered or deleted in real-time. You can't erase a physical book. Indeed, the rise in popularity of DVDs is tied to the fact that unlike a streaming-only movie or show, which a CEO or Media executive could remove at a whim, no one can take away your right to watch a DVD.

Finally, I was chatting with a young Gen Z filmmaker and recent graduate about his work filming concerts and music videos. He said something that surprised me - most of the winning and nominated filmmakers at this year's Music Video Awards shot their pieces on film; this wasn't just a trend but a shift towards a rawer and more authentic form of expression. It echoes my theory that younger creators gravitate towards more analogue technology as digital technology becomes more simulated and fake. Furthermore, in an era where AI threatens to replace scores of creative jobs at the push of a button, the skill required to operate and light for film empowers young, talented creators hungry to learn and represents a hedge against the encroachment of AI.

Could we be witnessing a resurgence in the use of film in the music industry, and might this extend to the entertainment industry more generally? Is it part of a broader trend that sees a potential rescue in the retro? These trends will inevitably be ridiculed as a futile throwback, a silly attempt to hold back the tide of progress, but who cares? As Adam Ant said, Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.