Explore the rich and complex history of the United States and beyond. Produced by the New-York Historical Society, host David M. Rubenstein engages the nation’s foremost historians and creative thinkers on a wide range of topics, including presidential biography, the nation’s founding, and the people who have shaped the American story. Learn more at nyhistory.org.
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This Human Meme podcast is the inflection point for what it means to live a life of knowing. We are in the critical moment of human induction. David Boles is a writer, publisher, teacher, lyricist and author living and working in New York City. He has dedicated his life to founding the irrevocable aesthetic. Be a Human Meme!
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Origins and Impact of Literary Phrases in Modern Language: From "Goody Two-Shoes" to "Catch-22"
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As we explore the tales behind phrases like "Goody Two-Shoes," "Catch-22," "Big Brother," and "tilting at windmills," we sink into the narratives that spawned them and the authors who penned these indelible words. These phrases encapsulate complex ideas and emotions, echoing through time to resonate in our current era, often stripped of their conte…
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The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America
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While institutional and systemic racism is well documented in the Postbellum and Reconstruction South, its effects on African Americans in the Northern United States, as well as how those practices have shaped contemporary society, is often less understood. Scholar and historian Khalil Gibran Muhammed sits down with David M. Rubenstein to shine a l…
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Preserving Authenticity: The Ethical Dilemma of Altering Historical Artifacts and Narratives
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Our discussion extends beyond the mere act of colorizing old photographs to include the ways in which entire histories are often romanticized, sanitized, or even rewritten to suit contemporary tastes and ideologies. From the silver screens of Hollywood to the solemn corridors of educational institutions, the manipulation of history has pervasive co…
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Cat Heads in Space! Episode 28: Great Galactic Game
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Our story resumes on the bridge of the Feline Star Cruiser. The vastness of space stretches out before our heroes, a canvas of twinkling stars and swirling galaxies. Captain Whiskerfluff is deep in thought, gazing out into the cosmos, while Lieutenant Mittens fiddles with a new gadget on her console. Skeedootle is snoozing quietly in a corner, her …
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Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President
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Marking one of the shortest presidencies in American history, James A. Garfield died less than seven months after inauguration due to a bullet wound sustained during an attempted assassination. A Civil War hero born into abject poverty, President Garfield’s attempted assassination set off a bitter struggle for power in the American government—even …
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Exploring Mars: The Impact of the Red Planet on Culture, Science, and Human Imagination
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Was there ever life on Mars? Is it there now hidden beneath the dust? Could Mars be the future home for human civilization? These questions compel scientists and dreamers alike. But beyond the scientific inquiry, Mars has also painted the canvas of our cultural landscape, influencing everything from classical compositions to blockbuster films.…
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Eternal Journey of a Seed Through Time and Space
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In the ancient world, where myths were born from the murmurs of nature and the whispers of the gods, there existed a singular seed. This was not just any seed, but one imbued with the essence of eternity, a gift from Gaia herself, the mother of all life. Planted in the fertile earth of a forgotten land, it began its first life under the watchful ga…
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The Trials of Harry S. Truman: The Extraordinary Presidency of an Ordinary Man
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After serving for three months as vice president, Harry S. Truman, at age 60, suddenly inherited the White House. The nearly eight years that followed were unusually turbulent—marked by victory in the wars against Germany and Japan, the first use of an atomic weapon and the development of far deadlier weapons, the Cold War, the Red Scare, the Marsh…
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Debunking the Myth of High Vibration Foods
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The concept of "high vibration foods" has emerged as a tantalizing notion, promising a pathway to enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. This idea posits that certain foods, by virtue of their intrinsic energy or "vibrational" qualities, can elevate our own personal energy levels, thus improving our health and happiness. As we set for…
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NovaTerra Chronicles: From Earth's Ashes to Interstellar Renewal
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Our story begins with Dr. Samantha Myles, a visionary astrobiologist, who discovered a distant planet, christened "NovaTerra." This world, lush and teeming with potential, orbited a young star in the constellation of Lyra. Unlike the exhausted Earth, NovaTerra promised a fresh start, a canvas of boundless possibilities. With the Earth's clock windi…
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Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay
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Following America’s violent entrance into World War II with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States needed to swiftly mobilize for its fight in the Pacific Theater. In those tense days following the attack, President Roosevelt tapped Chester W. Nimitz to lead the charge. With the nation calling for swift justice against a complex backdrop of …
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Redefining Fair Play: The Impact of NIL Rights and Employment Status on Collegiate Athletes
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Let’s start with the basics. NIL rights allow collegiate athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. This could be through endorsements, social media promotions, personal appearances, and more. Before recent changes, such policies were forbidden, and athletes were strictly amateurs, at least in the eyes of the NCAA, which meant they co…
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Rise of Male Isolation: Combatting Loneliness in Modern Society
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According to a May 2021 poll from the Survey Center on American Life, the number of American men who view themselves as having "no close friends" has increased from 3% in 1990 to 15% in 2021. This significant shift invites us to look deeper into the nuances of human relationships and the evolving dynamics of solitude and social connectivity.…
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Pro Rasslin': Blending Sport, Performance, and Social Justice
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Professional wrestling, as we know it today, began in the late 19th century. It evolved from genuine competitive wrestling into a more entertainment-focused spectacle. The early days were marked by carnival and vaudeville acts where wrestlers, often referred to as "hookers" due to their ability to "hook" their opponents into submission holds, would…
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John F. Kennedy was one of the most iconic political figures of the 20th century, a man known universally by his initials. From his college days to the end in Dallas, he was fascinated by the nature of political courage and its relationship to democratic governance. David M. Rubenstein is joined by historian Frederik Logevall to discuss how we shou…
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Understanding and Supporting Collectors and Hoarders in Your Life
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Collecting is a purposeful and selective process. It involves the acquisition of specific items that fit within a predefined category. Collectors often experience joy and pride in organizing and displaying their collections. Whether it’s stamps, books, coins, or art, collections often follow a thoughtful acquisition strategy. The items collected ha…
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LatinoLand: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority
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Today, Latinos represent 20% of the US population, with census reports projecting that one-third of Americans will identify as having Latino heritage by 2050. Exploring the complex history of immigration across the Americas, demographic diversity within US borders, and the impact on US politics, inaugural literary director of the Library of Congres…
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Shifting Dynamics in Academia: Navigating Student-Instructor Relationships in the Post-Standardized Test Era
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Ten years ago, the archetype of the kindly professor was often exploited. Students, perceiving kindness as a vulnerability, frequently requested extensions, favors, and leniencies that stretched beyond the typical academic courtesies. This dynamic, while problematic, was somewhat contained within the understood professional boundaries of the educat…
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Cat Heads In Space! Episode 27: Cosmic Catnip Conundrum
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06We open today’s adventure aboard the grand Feline Star Cruiser, hurtling through the velvety cosmos. The bridge is alive with the usual array of starry blips and bloops on the monitors. Captain Whiskerfluff is pensively staring out the viewport, his tail flicking with each troubling thought. Lieutenant Mittens is trying to adjust the navigation p…
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One stormy night, Emily discovered an ancient, moss-covered tome in her attic. It was bound in birch bark and smelled of earth and old secrets. The tome spoke of a forgotten forest, Heartwood, where trees whispered and walked under the moon’s watchful eye. The Heartwood was said to hold the heart of nature itself, beating deep within its oldest tre…
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Exploding Head Syndrome: Unraveling the Mysteries of Sleep, Perception, and Human Experience
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Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a condition that falls under the category of sleep-related disorders. Those affected by EHS experience auditory hallucinations that are described as loud noises — they might sound like a bomb exploding, a gunshot, or a cymbal crash — occurring just before falling asleep or upon waking. The sound is vivid and real to…
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Impact of Dystopian Literature on Society and Technology
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The genesis of dystopian literature can be traced back to the burgeoning industrial age, where rapid technological advancement and societal upheaval began to stir deep-seated fears and anxieties about the future. Thomas More's "Utopia," published in 1516, though fundamentally a work about a perfect society, ironically laid the groundwork for its an…
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Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President
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In popular memory, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the quintessential political “natural.” However journalist and author Jonathan Darman argues that this political acumen was the hard-earned result of Roosevelt’s seven-year journey through illness and recovery from polio. In that decade of adapting to the stark new reality of his life, he discovered …
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Beyond La Mataviejitas, the Hyena of Auschwitz, and the Beast of Buchenwald
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Ilse Koch, historically etched into memory with monikers such as "The Witch of Buchenwald," "The Beast of Buchenwald," and most infamously, "The Bitch of Buchenwald," embodies an enigma of evil that defies the very essence of humanity. Her rise to power and her reign of terror within the confines of the Buchenwald concentration camp during World Wa…
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Broadway's Adaptation Addiction: Is Originality Dead on Stage?
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The allure of adapting familiar films into stage spectacles is manifold. Foremost, it guarantees an audience, a beacon for investors navigating the tempestuous seas of theatrical productions. Moreover, the cinematic blueprint provides a narrative scaffolding from which creators can craft musical marvels, easing the burden of birthing a story from t…
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From Ashes to Action: The Legacy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and Its Lessons for Today
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In the heart of Manhattan, at 2329 Washington Place, near Washington Square, on the New York University (NYU) campus, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, bustling with young immigrant workers—mostly women—caught fire. The factory occupied the top floors of the Asch Building, and when the fire erupted, it was swift and merciless. Flames engulfed the cr…
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In the Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626–1863
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In 1991, a crew of New York City construction workers found the remains of a massive burial ground under twenty feet of rubble, just blocks from City Hall. The forgotten cemetery contained the remains of as many as 20,000 African Americans, and pointed to the countless untold stories of the enslaved and free people who lived, labored, and died in N…
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Defending Helen Keller: Debunking Myths and Championing Disability Rights
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In recent times, the remarkable legacy of Helen Keller has been clouded by a surge of skepticism and misinformation, particularly on social media platforms where her achievements are unjustly labeled as fabrications. Our conversation seeks to shine a light on the truth, offering a robust defense of Keller's accomplishments and the significant impac…
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Selective Mutism and the Moment of Understanding
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06Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child's inability to speak in certain social situations, such as at school or in the community, despite being able to speak comfortably in more familiar settings, like at home with family. This condition transcends the idea of mere shyness or a wilful refusal to speak; it…
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