Photo credit: www.cnbc.com
Gen Z’s Embrace of Retro Technology: A Reaction to a Digital Overload
In an era where smartphones dominate daily life, the desire to unplug is becoming increasingly prevalent among younger generations. London Glorfield, a 23-year-old ex-recording artist, reflects on how tech has shaped his upbringing. With the advent of the iPhone when he was just five years old, Glorfield feels he has always been saturated with technology.
As he navigated his early adult life, he noticed a growing restlessness toward constant connectivity. Glorfield articulates, “I spent an excessive amount of time on my phone, engaging with friends and fans, and it led to unhappiness.” This realization prompted him and his friends to delete social media apps intermittently as a method of reclaiming their time.
To further this mission, Glorfield launched Kickback, a vintage tech brand catering to Gen Z. Based in New York, Kickback offers a variety of retro products including CD and record players, cameras, speakers, and cassette players. “We’ve seen particular success with items that encourage genuine unplugging,” Glorfield states. “It’s an experience my generation hasn’t really had.”
Interestingly, the desire to disconnect is not isolated to individuals like Glorfield. The Global Wellness Summit recently published its Future of Wellness 2025 Report, highlighting a trend toward retro technology among younger demographics. This movement appears to originate not solely from nostalgia but from a fundamental human craving for tactile interactions, as explained by Beth McGroarty, research director at the Global Wellness Institute. “Humans are inherently wired to seek out touch,” she remarks. “This trend seems to represent a rebellion against an intangible digital realm, steering people toward physical, touchable objects.”
The survey results reveal that as devices consolidate every facet of music, communication, and entertainment, younger generations yearn to escape the perpetual flood of digital distractions. McGroarty notes, “Gen Z has spent a significant portion of their lives in front of screens, essentially a lifetime.”
Since its inception last year, Kickback has generated over $500,000 in revenue. Glorfield believes this success is tied to the younger generation’s yearning to break free from the digital hegemony they have known, favoring products that stand on their own. “Using a camera during a walk, for instance, eliminates the temptation of digital distractions,” he notes.
Retrospekt, another player in the retro tech market founded by Adam and Kori Fuerst, operates a website selling vintage items like Polaroid cameras, Game Boys, and typewriters. Adam Fuerst observes that while modern technology has enhanced various aspects of life, it has also rendered experiences homogeneous and soulless. “People are finding more value in experiences that feel authentic, even if they are less convenient,” he shares. Retrospekt reportedly achieves annual sales of $8 million, with a customer base primarily aged between 13 and 39. Fuerst echoes a sentiment that is gaining traction: “We stifle our very nature when we forsake the tactile engagement that physical objects provide.”
In Fuerst’s view, the meaningfulness of physical items only deepens as the digital world envelops more of our lives. “These objects hold significance that we are not yet ready to discard,” he asserts. “The further we venture into a digital existence, the more we realize the value of their tangible counterparts.”
Source
www.cnbc.com