Exploring Gender Inequities and Constitutional Evolution

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This chapter examines the historical concept of romantic paternalism and the legal restrictions placed on women from the 17th to the 19th century, addressing issues such as coverture laws and gender roles. It also discusses the complexities of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing its historical flaws while advocating for its evolution to reflect societal progress. Through personal anecdotes and philosophical reflections, the chapter highlights the importance of adapting constitutional principles to uphold democracy and equality.

In this episode we sit down with A.J. Jacobs, a journalist who noticed some striking similarities between Biblical fundamentalism and constitutional originalism, and since he once wrote a NYT bestselling book about titled The Year of Living Biblically in which he tried to live for a year as a fundamentalist, he tried to do something similar by living for a year following the Constitution's original meaning as if he were an originalist and then writing a book about it. He soon learned that donning a tricorne hat and marching around Manhattan with a 1700s musket, though fully within one's constitutional rights, will quickly lead to some difficult encounters and altogether strange circumstances.

The Year of Living Constitutionally

AJ Jacobs' Website

AJ Jacobs' Twitter

How Minds Change

David McRaney’s Twitter