Perhaps you shouldn't blow dust off a shelf because then its air pollution, the same reason we shouldn't pump factory smoke into the air. Vacuuming up the smoke with a properly filtered vacuum cleaner should provide a net cleaner air, especially if your electrical service is provided by other than coal or fuel. Otherwise dusting with a moist or lightly oiled rag will work nicely.
The stickiness of dust is based on its contents, typically grease from a nearby kitchen or motor pool will coat surfaces and make dust stick. Dust from human skin also has an oil element.
Dust is largely made of skin cells and fibers from our clothes and furniture. Since our clothes and furniture are containing more and more plastics and synthetics, I'd wager that our dust is noticeably different now than it was 30 years ago.
If it is something that has been left untouched for some years, then the dust is probably too thick to be simply blown away (and would probably create a bigger mess than what you started with), I imagine. Use an old wet piece of cloth.
Have a robot vacuum, can confirm house is less dusty. Still baffled by the amount of dust it picks up in its little dust container. Where does it all come from??
My experience went the other way. Growing up in a smoking household I thought dust was sticky and stuck to things. Being an adult in a non-smoking household the dust now only happens on the top of objects...