This is old, but new to me...
There's a blog called Vanishing New York which catalogs the "destruction" of old New York and reflects on the political winds that are both cause and effect of it. It's not just you-kids-get-off-my-lawn-ism, as the author occasionally stops to explain what he feels is shallower and less valuable about the new developments and culture. This is one of those posts <law and order sound effect>:
http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/07/thrift.htmlIf you're not interested in the New York City centrism, here is a shortcut to one of the references which has more generally to do with the myriad values of thrift:
http://www.newthrift.org/articles/blankenhorn.htmOf course, harping on how things were better in the good old days is also a proud American tradition.