Build For Tomorrow

Vanity was born when the mirror was discovered. That’s what the Chicago Record wrote in 1895, around the time when mirrors became a household item. People (and especially women) were condemned for looking in the mirror, and accused of being sinful. But then the mirror altered the way we think about vanity altogether — and forever changed the way we look at ourselves. In this episode, we explore the history of the mirror, the history of vanity, and what it can teach us about today’s obsession over selfies.Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roads weren't always for cars. In fact, highways were originally built for bikes! And now, as modern cities freak out over e-scooters, it’s worth looking back at when the roads were full of all kinds of things on wheels. How did early scooters, roller skates, and other new devices shape what we think of as the road today? And is it time to rethink how we design our cities now?Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1950s, America declared war on the comic book. People feared that they’d turn children into hardened criminals, and so opponents burned them in large piles, states banned them, and the U.S. Senate investigated their dangers. The man leading the charge was a psychologist named Fredric Wertham, whose research fueled people’s fears. In this episode, we take a close look at Wertham to ask: How does someone come to yield so much cultural influence? And how should the rest of us react?Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The elevator has had a lot of ups and downs. (Sorry, sorry.) As the innovation gained popularity in the late 1800s, it had a profound effect on the way we organize our cities and ourselves. It was also blamed for a rise in crime, for causing something called brain fever, for destroying civil society, and more. On this episode of Pessimists Archive, we look at how the elevator shaped our world, why not everyone loved that, and what it has to teach us about the next big change. Because while the elevator may seem like old technology today, it has a big lesson for us about the future of transportation.Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kids! They’re lazy, narcissistic, and disrespectful -- or so says the older generation. But when you look back through history, you’ll discover that older generations have been saying a version of the same thing for thousands of years. Our question is: Why? And we found an answer.Get in touch!Web: jasonfeifer.comEmail. jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter / Instagram: @heyfeifer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New dance styles have always faced backlash, from the scandalous waltz to modern grinding. The waltz, once deemed obscene, sparked lively debates in high society, revealing how perceptions of dance reflect societal norms. Historical opposition often fuels the popularity of these dances, as seen with rock and roll. The evolution of dance highlights generational conflicts, moral outrage, and the intertwining of culture with controversy. The journey of the waltz shows how public outrage can transform into acceptance over time.

Tom Standage, Editor at The Economist and author of The Victorian Internet, sheds light on the intriguing parallels between the 1800s telegraph and today's digital landscape. He discusses how the telegraph sparked fears about privacy, misinformation, and the moral implications of fast communication, echoing modern concerns about social media. Standage highlights skepticism from figures like Thoreau, who worried about the erosion of meaningful interactions. The conversation challenges us to consider how technology reflects human nature and whether our historical fears were warranted.

When chain stores were new, the reaction against them was fierce. Chain stores were accused of destroying democracy, of limiting freedom, of corrupting young people, and of being evil, evil, evil. But in reality, chain stores were innovating the way we shop -- and replacing a very bad kind of local business. Even if you love shopping local, this episode might just change the way you think about business.Get in touch!Email: jasonfeifer@gmail.comTwitter: @heyfeiferWeb: jasonfeifer.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover the historical hysteria over novels, once deemed detrimental to society. From critiques in Plato's time to fears about women's reading habits, the podcast humorously navigates the changing perceptions of fiction. It contrasts past concerns with today's literary appreciation and explores how storytelling has evolved. You'll hear about early Hellenistic novels and the communal aspect of reading that has shifted over centuries. Ultimately, the discussion defends the novel’s ongoing relevance in a modern world filled with distractions.

Delve into the history of fears surrounding underground spaces, from superstition to societal skepticism. Discover how the first subway system faced opposition with claims of releasing dangerous air and disturbing the dead. Explore the fascinating connection between ancient beliefs and modern innovations in tunneling technology. The evolution of public perception regarding underground travel reveals a shift from fear to acceptance, showcasing the impact of addressing community concerns in revolutionary designs.