It's Been a Minute Folgen

You might be more influenced by yuppie taste than you’d think.Back in the eighties – when pop music drowned in synths, the volume of everyone's hair was set to loud, and neon was in vogue – a new age dawned: the era of the yuppie. “Yuppie” comes from the acronym “YUP” – which stands for young, urban professional. Think Patrick Bateman from American Psycho or even Miranda Hobbes from Sex and the City. Nowadays, cities are full of young urban professionals, but this wasn't always the case. In his new book, Yuppies: the Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers and Gourmands Who Conquered New York, author Dylan Gottlieb argues that New York City was the first city to reorganize itself to cater to yuppies.  And it's not just cities that have changed. Yuppies have transformed our country's economy, politics, and culture, too.Brittany is joined by Dylan, assistant professor of history at Bentley University, to break down how yuppies catapulted us into our current moment.For more episodes on the history that explains our culture today, check out:How often do you think about the American Empire?Americans want a royal family. Now they have twoWere Americans actually healthier in the past?(00:00) What exactly is a yuppie?(05:37) The economics that created yuppies and their "meritocracy"(13:12) The violent cost of city revival(19:35) How yuppies created foodie culture(23:16) The politics of marathon-running(25:14) How yuppies remade the Democratic party(29:36) Should we bring back the term "yuppie"?Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

How has literature changed your life?For poet and lawyer, Reginald Dwaye Betts, books meant freedom. After getting sentenced to 9 years in adult prison at 16, Dwayne felt a sense of hope and possibility whenever he was reading.  Upon his release he founded Freedom Reads, an organization that builds libraries within prisons across the country to provide a physical space where those incarcerated can read and dream together.Today on the show, Dwayne joins Brittany to discuss how books and language can help us transform our reality. You can learn more about Dwayne's journey in his documentary, March Forth. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Would you pay for an app that might encourage your worst impulses?Some users are asking themselves the same question as Meta rolls out Instagram Plus, a new suite of features that promises users the opportunity to 'deepen your relationships.' But what do these features say about the way we interact with each other online, and how might they reflect our deepest anxieties back at us? To find out, Brittany is joined by Tatum Hunter, writer and journalist covering digital privacy and internet culture.Want more on tech and social media?The hidden money financing your favorite songsWho needs to know where you are?Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy