xkcd Puts Names to What Our Cultural Memory Will Forget Each Year

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xkcd Puts Names to What Our Cultural Memory Will Forget Each Year

Today’s comic from xkcd really struck me – even more than their normally awesome work – because it looks at something I deal with on a seemingly daily basis: cultural memory. My wife and I were born in the mid-60s, so I remember watching Watergate, seeing Jaws and Star Wars in theaters, gas lines, and on and on. Some things like watching Bullitt this week and seeing rotary phones and the utter un-connectedness really stood out with my kids, whereas stuff like music and other pop culture items have filtered somewhat through time.

Myy wife works with many young adults in their early 20s who have not been inundated with decades of pop culture, art and science the way our kids have, and as a result when she refers to their computer system as HAL and says “I’m sorry … I’m afraid I can’t do that” there is only one person she works with who ‘gets it’ – and it is someone a few years older than my wife!

This comic simply lists major cultural touchstones that will fade from cultural memory year after year. What things do you look back upon fondly that is slipping from the collective memory?

Head to xkcd for more details and loads of other great comics!

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!