r/whenthe but Lemmy.
GIF macros.
You like text on GIF memes? Cool, we do also.
No idea what the fuck we mean? Look at the other posts and you'll get the gist.
Join in and have fun lads.
P.S. It might be easiest to upload your GIFs to Imgur/Giphy and put a direct link as your post (thus embedding) as Lemmy often doesn't play nicely with them natively.
I will admit, for one of my writing ideas, it's basically this. But, I set a rule that, while there are a very small list of certain kinds of artifacts left behind, most of what this race had was completely destroyed or lost; meaning they only exist as a tragic story about how nothing is permanent. Hopefully it's an inventive take.
It's a common theme because it's cool.
That's why you gotta have the technologically advanced precursor race that's still around except they fucked off from the rest of society and keep the technology to themselves since y'all can't behave.
They track down and confiscate unapproved use of their tech resulting in users needing to make really jank hacks to get around the tech's DRM.
My way of doing it is "Its 3000 years in the future, planet colony, but its themed. You can still get amazing healthcare, but ordinary civilians are only supposed to use fantasy tech. Also every person can decide to leave and return at any time."
Rimworld