How People Paid Their Taxes in Biblical Times
Think doing your taxes is annoying? Imagine trying it without a computer, a calculator… or even the Arabic numeral system.
The Birth of Planned Obsolescence
Before WWII, American businesses began embracing “creative waste”—the idea that throwing things away and buying new ones could fuel a strong economy.
How Magazines Created a New Culture of Manhood
Middle-class American manhood changed in the mid-twentieth century. And the new ideal of masculine consumption was captured by men’s magazines.
How America Tried (and Failed) to Solve Its “Servant Problem”
In the early part of the twentieth century, most middle-class American homes had at least one servant. Then the "servant problem" arose.
Automation in the 1940s Cotton Fields
Automation is a bit of a Rorschach test for anyone interested in workers’ rights. In the 1940s, the mechanization of cotton farming changed the US economy.
The Rise and Fall of the Shopping Mall
Is the shopping mall a thing of the past? A look at how the suburbs helped to create the mall--and what is now killing those same shopping centers.
The Candid Appeal of the Advertising Show Card
A hand-painted show card evokes a certain nostalgia and humanity that machine-made signs can never arouse: It suggests honesty.
How Tech Companies Got In the White House
What role will technology companies—and tech CEOS—play in Donald Trump's White House?
How Car Ads Started Selling Sizzle
In the 1920s car ads began changing. Specialists began to craft auto manufacturer's images solely to please their customers.
The QWERTY Truth
How did the QWERTY keyboard became the gold standard? The answer is probably not what you'd think. Welcome to the economic concept of "path dependence."