Author David V. Steward was gracious enough to invite me on his Writestream last night. The impetus for the episode was this post, which has caused something of a sensation among Generation Y readers.
What strikes you most whenever you get Ys to open up and discuss the past is how similar their experiences are–but only when woolgathering about beloved past diversions. For another “better seen, not heard” generation like the Jonesers and the Silents, Gen Y will blab your ear off about 80s and 90s brands.
The megacorps figured this out sometime around 2010. It’s no coincidence that was about when Ys’ finally found big boy jobs, and they had some extra scratch to spend. The paypigs who declare they’re “over” Star Wars one minute only to turn around and reserve tickets to J.J. Abrams’ latest fanfic are almost entirely Gen Y.
The studios know they need only flash clips from 80s franchises to elicit a Pavlovian response in Ys. This nostalgia trap is a major hurdle indie creators will have to figure a way around if we want to build a thriving new culture.
David and I discussed these and many other wide-ranging topics, including his nostalgia for Berserk. In case you missed it live, here’s the replay:
If you like Berserk and want more visceral horror action with anime sensibilities, read Nethereal, Soul Cycle Book 1.
