I've had very similar thoughts about lawn-cutting, but hadn't related it to technology-related trends!

I couldn't agree more. In a broad sense, it's like we've lost contact with our own lives, communities, and cultures. I don't think those things are "dead", but they mean things now which are totally different than what they meant even only a couple of decades ago, and the people living through it sort of know that and kind of say it out loud sometimes even, but can't really wrap their heads around it at the same time and continue to ape the old behaviours (no offence, anyone, I do it too).

"Traditions" live on in a sort of zombie state... we cut the grass, we present the gift cards. It's an odd and fun(ny) moment to be alive.