Sooo last century: Technology guaranteed to frazzle the brains of modern youngsters

Ed Power invokes the ghosts of dot matrix printers, floppies, mixed tapes and the old phone box

The past is a foreign country – and, where technology is concerned, an exceedingly baffling one at that. Consider that, less than a decade ago, sending an email on your phone required a PhD in advanced mathematics. If you were to travel back to the year 2000, meanwhile, and ask someone to follow you on Twitter — they would think you were making an inappropriate advance — at best.

But while tech has reshaped the world, it is arguable whether this is always for the better or not. Cast your mind back – if you can – to the pre-mobile phone era, a halcyon age in which your boss did not have the option of contacting you day or night and you didn’t reflexively check your email every 45 seconds. Yes, life was slower — but arguably calmer and less stressful, to boot.