Co-Living, the Hot New Trend of 1898
Chicago's "Eleanor Clubs" were designed to give young, working women affordable and congenial places to live.
What We Mean By “Better Living”
How advertising used the phrase “better living” to portray big business as a force for moral good and continuous progress.
Maps Showed People Their Worlds
In the 19th century, most Americans weren't used to seeing maps of their communities. New forms of color lithography changed all that.
The Revolutionary Past of Plastics
When plastics were first invented, they seemed to promise a utopian future.
Is Burnout Really a Disease?
Perhaps, instead of thinking of burnout as a disease to be dealt with at the individual level, we might collectively address it as a social problem.
Cold Warriors Tanked Big Pharma Regulation
Worried about the high price of prescription drugs, a senator proposed a bill that would have regulated Big Pharma -- back in the 1950s.
The Only Fair Job Interview
Could taking some of the human element out of interviewing actually make the process more just?
The Invention of the Giveaway
The appeal of the free gift has always been, for the consumer, about the eternal dream of getting something for nothing.
Why Companies Swallow Poison Pills
Faced with a potential hostile takeover, companies may deploy a dramatic shareholder rights plan, colloquially known as a "poison pill."
The Racism of 19th-Century Advertisements
Illustrated advertising cards invoked ethnic stereotypes, using black women as foils in order to appeal to white consumers.