A humanism that responds to the collapse of Big Authenticity will be sexier . As Magdalene Taylor recently wrote, “Real things and actual human experiences are hot, even in the written form. They have a libidinal energy that’s been drained from us in the current technological era. And we’re going to want to get that energy back.”

One of things that’s so exciting about ghost signs is that they recall a time of professional artisans deeply interwoven with everyday culture and society. Many values of the early years of the internet, including openness, creativity, and connection, are deeply appealing now.