The Doppler effect is what makes a siren change tones as it whooshes by
Because of the physics of sound waves, it’s only in the moments a sound is right next to us that it maintains the tone we expect
What if this is true of not just sound, but everything?
I’ve come to think there’s a Cultural Doppler Effect
What sounds right in the moment feels different and dated to a time and place later on
This is true of fashion, design, music, beliefs, literally everything
The Cultural Doppler Effect is what makes "retro"
As past cultural waves wash over us, their context is not as they first appeared
They return as pastiche, a throwback, an out-of-context comment on the now
And yet somehow some works are able to maintain their essence and mitigate the Cultural Doppler Effect
Some old movies still feel modern
Some songs feel as fresh as ever
Some writing that's centuries old speaks clearly to what we feel today
What is it that keeps those things current across time?
Is it something about the influence of those works and how they shaped culture from that point forward?
Is it something about us?
One thing many Doppler-resistant works share is aesthetic minimalism
They aren’t overloaded with bells, whistles, or excessive language from a specific moment
They’re often quite spare
In Doppler-resistant pieces, the work — not the vibe — tends to be the focus
The more aesthetically adorned a work, the more vulnerable to the Cultural Doppler Effect
What lasts shares a utilitarian elegance that never stops resonating
Think: Macintosh Plus, Chanel, Craigslist, the Velvet Underground
Some works speak not to a time but *across* time
The first Strokes record feels like it could have been made in any decade
It’s beyond a time and place
It's in dialog with the greats of the past and perhaps the future
Not all work wants to or needs to be resistant to the effects of time
Many of us want to influence the now, so now-language makes sense
Culture is made and experienced in the now
But in some works we want our intentions and voice to remain true across time
By stripping away the adornments of the moment
By staying true to the core kernel of truth from which our work speaks
We can create output that resonates not just today, but in many future todays
It's time that tells
@nftchance Old and resonant but not retro is an interesting cultural cross-section and sweet spot
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