I'm confused. The trope title and description seem to imply that this trope applies only to futuristic settings that are insufficiently distinguished from the real-world present. But half the examples refer to sci-fi settings that are insufficiently distinguished from other time periods in the same setting (see the Star Wars example).
I guess I'm not clear on the practical difference between this and Medieval Stasis. I'm wondering if they shouldn't just be lumped together under a more general term ("Technological Stasis," maybe?) to avoid confusion.
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I agree, there seems to be no real difference between the tropes. What makes real life modern technology so special that it needs its own trope, when all sci-fi and fantasy tech levels fall under medieval stasis? It makes no sense.
The horrible and unfathomable Rosethorn Larana'Khash, Abominationslayer of the Knights of the Church of Ith'Nyeargh!
I personally think that software development has gone into modern stasis. We programmers have failed to figure out how to embed meaning in code. I think this could have been done 40 years ago, and we simply just didn't do it. So, while things do change in software development, it is on a foundation that is broken, and that does not change. Why do I think this? Because I have figured out one way of embedding meaning in code, it's not that difficult, and we could have done it 40 years ago and had a real information revolution in the 70's and 80's. I don't know where this comment belongs if anywhere, but if I am right, it is an example of real world Modern Stasis.
Edited by jonrgrover2