i think the IT-dominated 'tech industry' of the ~21st century is historically distinct from earlier eras, in that it is largely parasitic, using novel ideas primarily to capture existing industries and extract the value from them. all the 'great new things' it has provided are things we could already do before, but now they're a bit quicker and more convenient, and under the total control of corporations. nothing life-changing or life-saving like the tech developed in the 20th century