Responsibility
This really gets my dander up. Unfortunately, most people are pretty short-sighted when "updating" a room. All they see is a dated space and don't realize their renovation of $6 per sheet drywall over original wood paneling is the bigger date stamp. Once it's done, there's no going back; those vintage materials simply do not exist anymore.
As collectors, recyclers and enthusiasts of appliances, we tend to have an eye towards preservation, but I'd wager the general public buying a unique used home doesn't see themselves as stewards. Instead of living with the home, getting to know its bones and making evolutionary changes to align with their personalities and lifestyles, they set forth to turn it into something it's not. There's more individual character in a row of thousand square foot ranches than in today's vinyl clad, drywall boxes, differentiated exclusively by what appliances you have (and maybe the shade of your granite countertops). At least in the 50's when rec rooms were springing up and VCT or VAT was going down the end results were uniquely individual.
Thankfully, there are those dutifully keeping blogs on how they're restoring interior spaces such as these back to original spec- I whole-hearted applaud their efforts and dedication.
Yes, that room needed some work, and yes, it's entirely the owners' right to change the house as they see fit, but some of these renovations are akin to taking a classic car and chopping, hacking and customizing until the vehicle is no longer recognizable...and they aren't building any more '58 Buicks. -Cory