How is the mass culture that rose at the end of the 19th century similar to the mass culture today? how is it different?

Between today (early 21st century) and end of the 19th century lies the whole of 20th century, with WW II in the exact middle. 
At the end of 19th century mass culture was not aware of electricity or the fantastic communication abilities that we take for granted now. Steam locomotives on rail were a rarity, yet to be commercialised into mass scale. Steamer ships were coming into vogue for trans-Atlantic passage as well as to the Orient (via Mediterranean Sea and the newly dug Suez Canal). Cables were being laid between continents (Europe with America and Asia) on the sea floor, though which 'Morse' coded messages used to pass.