old or new?

I snapped this picture of a Royal Enfield Classic 500. It takes me back to days when I remember old bikes driving around Belfast, billowing black smoke and blaring their horns to ensure that I, the humble pedestrian, got out of their way. I think that this might be a £5,000 Indian made copy, but hey, how would I know? In reflecting on the bike, I was more interested by the increasing nostalgic notion that pervades much of moden marketing. The one that tries to sell us things that look old but are, in effect, new. Old names in chocolates are resurrected, Toyota has made the Figaro a cult car, old toys make a come back, heck the Clangers are back! Old sells - why? Was old better? Is it cynical targeting of the baby boomers? We can sometimes find ourselves saying - "it was better then".. well was it really? I think we should use the past to help us better understand the present, but mostly to help us create a better future for all. History will repeat itself unless we listen and learn first time round! Sure, I enjoy those nostalgic trips, moments, but my focus needs to be on ensuring that I learn from the past and work towards a shared society, where no one is left behind.