We live in a post-button era, and none of us mourn it. Among the many victims of smartphones — pregnant sea turtles, cobalt miners, distracted home movie watchers — the humble button sits low on the list. The touchscreens on our slick pocket supercomputers murdered touch tones and keypads and car dashboards. Buttons have all but vanished from our lives. After a joyful night full of well-timed clicks and haptic mashing, I think we are worse for it.
One night at Galloping Ghost, the world's largest arcade, was all it took to transport me to a time when technology wasn't so boring and sterile. This place takes you back to an era that embraced warm wood cabinets and bright Lucite joysticks. When all you needed in life was a pocketful of quarters. Doc Mack, owner of this longtime Chicago landmark, is content to spend his life keeping the dream alive.
