I’ve heard some cases where people express their disappointment in our generation for our inability to invent or recreate things in equal or better quality to what existed in the past, even though we have access to more information or knowledge than people in those ages did.
You’re absolutely right about the black and white aesthetic. I do that sometimes too to produce nostalgic effect or to reflect memories:)
I think our inability to do some of these things is because of the softness of society right now. People are fragile and pathetic in a lot of ways because of the massive changes that have been going on in the last 20 years or so. There isn’t as much necessity and need these days as there was before. I hope we can turn a corner on it though and get better! We have a lot of amazing things and hard working people for sure but I think the quantity of soft and frail people that are in their early and mid life is having a pretty detrimental effect on us.