Digital technology has the power to make everyday tasks easier, more enjoyable, and less hassle. We all know that. However, another benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked is digital technology’s ability to revive old ideas and activities.
It’s a misnomer that technology is destructive. We often hear how mobile phones have made us less social because we spend less time talking to people. That’s simply not true. A statistical overview from What’s the Big Data tells us that 140 billion messages are exchanged every day on WhatsApp.
That’s a lot of conversations. They might not be face-to-face interactions, but they’re conversations nonetheless. The art of conversation isn’t dead; it’s just different because of digital technology. Why does this matter? Because technology gives fun things a new lease of life.
Bringing Games Back to Life
Games are a great example of this. Bingo was big in the 80s and 90s but fell out of favor in the noughties, only to be revived by online gaming developers. Today, eligible customers can go online and play bingo whenever they want. More than that, they can get more bang for their buck.
Take, for example, Paddy Power free bingo games. These games run daily between 12 pm and 6 pm. They don’t cost a cent to enter, and there are cash prizes up for grabs. What’s the catch? There isn’t one. The operator (Paddy Power) is able to offer free games because it generates enough revenue from its paid-for games.
Essentially, it’s able to redistribute wealth. That’s because online bingo sites are easily accessible. People don’t have to travel to play like they used to. Although bingo halls still exist, they’re not as popular as online gaming sites. Thus, we can say that digital technology has reinvigorated a game that fell out of favor.
Entertainment Streams Run Deep
Another example of technology breathing new life into a once-popular activity is music. To be clear, music never died. However, despite what people assume, streaming hasn’t hurt the music industry. Yes, sites such as Napster disrupted the industry, but record labels and artists soon found their feet.
Today, streaming has made music more accessible than ever before, which has led to a surge in revenue. According to Visual Capitalist, the revenue from music streaming in 2021 was an estimated $11.5 billion. That figure has since surpassed the $17 billion mark, according to Statista. As per Visual Capitalist, cassettes reached a peak in 1989 and only generated $3.9 billion in revenue, while CDs generated $13.3 billion in sales between 1999 and 2000.
So, while music has always been popular, streaming has taken it to new heights. The same goes for movies. Fewer people are going to movie theaters these days, but this has been a trend for more than 15 years. Despite this fact, Netflix has more than 269 million paid subscribers. Therefore, our love for movies hasn’t died. It’s simply that the way we consume them has changed.
Technology is a Force for Good
In fact, just like Spotify, Netflix has made movies more accessible for the average person. You don’t have to travel and pay to watch a single movie. Instead, you pay a single price and have instant access to thousands of movies. The point here is that digital technology isn’t a destructive force: it’s a positive one that can bring old ideas back to life and keep them relevant. That’s why we should all be thankful for the gadgets we have and the innovation they bring.
