Prevail with Greg Olear

Triumph of the Yuppies (with Tom McGrath)

Jul 19, 2024

Tom McGrath, former editor-in-chief of Philadelphia magazine, talks about his new book on the Yuppie movement, Reagan, and Jack Welch. They discuss media issues and Gen Z's potential. Topics include the broken media landscape, fixing it, and the generational shift. They also touch on nostalgia and media songs.

01:19:59

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Episode guests

Tom McGrath

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The rise of yuppies in the 1980s symbolized a cultural shift towards individualism and market-driven values.

Financial figures like Michael Milken revolutionized finance through innovations like junk bonds, impacting the economy's financialization.

Jack Welch's emphasis on shareholder returns and efficiency reshaped corporate strategies, prioritizing profits over social considerations.

Deep dives

The Rise of Yuppies and Their Cultural Impact

In the 1980s, the term 'yuppie' emerged to describe young urban professionals focused on success, material wealth, and career advancement. Originating from observations of a gentrifying Chicago and fueled by lifestyle books and media attention, yuppies symbolized a cultural trend. Their prominence in Reagan-era politics as a voting base reflected a shift towards individualism and market-driven values.

Intro

5min

Insights on the Trump rally shooting, Biden's party removal, and political figure support

22min

The Downside of Comparison and the Benefits of Therapy

5min

Evolution of Key Figures and Economic Divide in the 1980s

23min

Analysis of Politics, Villains, and Corporate Influence

5min

Exploring the Intriguing Story of John Mattis in Lawyers, Guns and Money Podcast

2min

Challenges and Polarization in the Media Industry

3min

Polarization in Politics and Media Coverage Challenges

11min

Media Overload, Generational Trends, and the Perception of Time

9min

10.

Exploring the Origins of the Tuxedo and the Triumph of the Yuppies

3min

Tom McGrath was the editor-in-chief of Philadelphia magazine, as well as chief content officer of Metro Corp., the parent company of Philadelphia and Boston between 2010 and 2020. Under his leadership, the magazines won more than fifty awards for editorial excellence. In 2022, he was named Writer of the Year at the National City and Regional Magazine Awards. He’s written two previous books: “MTV: The Making of a Revolutio,” and, with John Basedow, “Fitness Made Simple.” He has a Substack, called Common Good. His new book is “Triumph of the Yuppies: America, the Eighties, and the Creation of an Unequal Nation.”

Greg Olear talks to Tom about his new book, the Yuppie movement and what it portended to the country, Ronald Reagan and Jack Welch, and nostalgia. In the second half, they talk about how the media is broken, how it might be fixed, and how Gen Z could be just the folks to do so. Plus: media songs!

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Follow Tom:
https://x.com/tmcgrathphilly

Buy his book:
https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Yuppies-America-Eighties-Creation/dp/1538725991

Check out his Substack:
https://tmcgrath.substack.com/

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Check out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17

ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T

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