The story arc and the major plot points of the play remain the same from generation to generation (make friends, does he/she love you or not? will you manage to make a name for yourself among your peers? find what motivates you the most in life, search for a significant other, raise kids, plan for security in old age, wage war, etc) but the set design changes (what our cities look like and how they function, what technology we have, what political system we have, what fashion we have,etc)

The changing set design gives the illusion of change, of difference from the past, but at the core, things are the same as always.

Doesn't matter if you get your thrills in a chariot or a BMW, or if you send a message to your crush with a papyrus or facebook.