In a surprising twist, a growing wave of Gen Z consumers is turning their backs on smartphones and streaming services, gravitating instead towards flip phones, CDs, and digital cameras. This radical shift stems from a deep-rooted desire to escape the suffocating grip of constant connectivity and to reclaim ownership of their media experiences.

Meet Lucy Jackson, a 17-year-old college freshman, who has traded her smartphone for a basic phone that only allows for calls and texts—complete with a few extra steps. Gone are the days of instant gratification; Lucy now relies on paper maps and old-school taxi services instead of the ubiquitous ride-sharing apps. “I have a lot more appreciation for things that I can’t access readily at my fingertips, like any kind of media,” she shared. But there's a catch: “It is a little bit harder to make friends with people and keep in contact.”

Lucy isn’t navigating this solo. She's part of the Luddite Club, a nonprofit that encourages breaks from smartphone use and boasts 26 chapters, mostly among high school and college students. This movement is emblematic of a broader generational frustration with digital dependency. A recent 2023 Harris Poll survey revealed that a staggering 80% of Gen Z respondents believe young people are too reliant on technology, while 60% yearn for a time before everyone was 'plugged in.'

“They’re doing this interesting tightrope walk,” said Clay Routledge from the Human Flourishing Lab, which collaborated on the survey. “They like technology, but they feel like they’re missing something and want to get a greater sense of control over how they use it.”

Interestingly, artists like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are tapping into this nostalgia by selling CDs, vinyl records, and even cassette tapes to younger audiences. Gen Z musicians like Carpenter, Laufey, and Chappell Roan have been topping Amazon’s CD charts, proving that the love for physical media is alive and well.

Hunter White, a 25-year-old data engineer, is among the enthusiasts collecting CDs to escape the frustrations of streaming services that often underpay artists. He scours garage sales and thrift shops for discs, listening to them on his trusty 2002 Sony player. Last year, he launched Dissonant, an app that curates CDs delivered by mail, complete with handwritten notes. With around 350 members and an 800-disc library, Hunter encapsulates the new-age collector: “People, especially in Gen Z, are just tired of not owning anything.”

And it doesn’t stop at music. Point-and-shoot digital cameras have become coveted items among young consumers, with prices ranging from $22 to over $450. TikTok is buzzing with videos about Bluetooth CD players, flip phones, and digital cameras, while Kendall Jenner recently accessorized her look with a Canon PowerShot on Instagram. Tumasi Agyapong, 26, from Chicago, began collecting digital cameras two years ago, attracted to their nostalgia and superior image quality. “It really just comes out of wanting a detox from my phone being my everything,” she remarked, proudly showcasing her 15-camera collection.