99% Invisible The Address Book
Sep 22, 2020
Deirdre Mask, author of "The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power," uncovers the often-overlooked significance of street addresses. She discusses how they shape societal structures, influence public health, and reflect cultural identities. The podcast dives into the politics of street naming, from honoring heroes to addressing contentious pasts. Mask also explores the future of navigation with innovative systems like What3Words, questioning the need for traditional addresses in a digital world.
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Cholera and Addresses
- Dr. John Snow used addresses and death certificates to track cholera's spread in Victorian London.
- By mapping cases, he identified a contaminated pump as the source, demonstrating the power of addresses in public health.
Haiti's Cholera Challenge
- After the 2010 earthquake, Haiti struggled to combat a cholera outbreak.
- The lack of a good address system hindered tracking patients and containing the disease, unlike John Snow's success in London.
The Tyranny of Addresses
- Maria Theresa in Austria used house numbering to find men for her wars.
- This act, while helpful for the state, was seen as dehumanizing and intrusive by many, highlighting the tension between public benefit and privacy.
