The NYT is funny. We have rotational nostalgia trends on a constant basis (I think the youth are running around in my jncos and band tshirts right now). Do we credit that to dire economics and dark times?
No, we say it's a trend like all the other trends we went through.
NYT though - Oh whoa are the Chinese! They're so depressed they're being trendy! Heavens no! Not the nostalgia!