🎃 𝙿𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝙰𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎 Roundup

Halloween Special!

👻 Ghost in the Machine

In 1931 The San Francisco Chronicle ran a piece titled ‘Weird, Ghostly and “Supernatural” Antics of the Radio’ exploring reports of supernatural phenomena prompted by the rise of radio. To celebrate halloween we had a voice actor perform the 30 minute article, take a listen.

We also did an extensive deep-dive/analysis in the article below, which you’ll also find in your inbox:

👻 📻 Radio was Treated as a Supernatural Force

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👨‍👦‍👦 Thinking of the Children

The debate around Facebook and Instagram, after leaked internal research lead to senate hearings, sounded very familiar. Popular entertainment youth trends often cause unease among the adult population. When something emerges to rationalize that unease, adding some scientific and academic clout - a moral panic often ensues. Adding fuel to the fire, doctors are now being quoted as playing Tourette’s like symptoms on TikTok.

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

Tell me we’re in a moral panic without telling me we’re in a moral panic

Whatever you think of instagram and TikTok - one can’t ignore the historical parallels and red flags signaling moral panic. A similar pattern happened with novels, comic books, rock music and video games.

✍️ We did a run down of past hearings and government actions prompted by parental concern and moral panic.

All the Times Politicians 'Saved' Kids from Entertainment Technology

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🚲 Bicycle for the Mind

In current discussions about social media a common historical analogy is to compare Facebook to ‘big tobacco’, few seem to be noting the similarities between the treatment of the comic book industry in the 1950s. The below clip from a 1950s show called ‘Confidential File’ bares a striking resemblance to todays debates.

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

In 1955 the TV show ‘Confidential File’ interviewed children about their comic book habits, their answers - tantamount to forced confessions - were used to legitimise moral panic around comic books.

The problem with insisting that “it is different this time” is it serves to render important historical lessons about unfounded moral panics, mute. A good example of this is when Tristan Harris insisted there was no moral panic when the bicycle started to become popular (there absolutely was.)

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

To rationally assess (and regulate) any new technology you can’t just ask “How is it different this time?” You must also ask “How is it the same?”

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🚛 What The Truck

Supply chains across the world are suffering from labor shortages, truck drivers are being offered large bonuses to get driving and only automated shipping ports are operating consistently. This is ironic - considering only last year Andrew Yang was promising truck drivers basic income to counter the threat of self-driving trucks.

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

How it started. How it’s going.

Perhaps Andrew Yangs next campaign can promise to pay them $2000 a month if they return to truck driving.

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🐐 Mechanical Scape Goat

In a sign that the Facebook debate might be getting a bit out of hand, a prominent Twitter user called for Mark Zuckerberg to be *literally* executed, which reminded us of when The New York Times alluded to similar sentiments the year he perfected the incandescent lightbulb. You can hear that article read aloud here.

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

A call for Zuckerberg to be executed. Some wanted Thomas Edison hanged in 1878 as referenced by The New York Times, who claimed he’d “invented too many things” (Hear article read aloud here: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/mr-edi…) 💡A year later Edison perfected the incandescent lightbulb. https://t.co/Dwq7f1OfVq

Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) @IwriteOK

We need a new Nuremberg trial for Zuckerberg and folks like him. This is a rare instance where capital punishment is, in fact, justified. We know to a matter of perfect certainty that he is guilty. https://t.co/FBGA9WVuCE

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😎🤳 How Do You Do Fellow Kids

Emmy nominated producer and rising TikTok star Cleo Abrams turned some of our archival finds into an awesome TikTok video. Check that out in the below tweet and make sure to follow her if you use TikTok.

Pessimists Archive @PessimistsArc

Awesome TikTok on moral panics by @cleoabram featuring clippings from our archive vm.tiktok.com/ZM8YM7avP/

Cleo also did a great series on unfounded fears about nuclear power you should check out.

Cleo Abram @cleoabram

earlier this year, the Indian Point nuclear plant shut down. it was a victory for activists + politicians (Cuomo, AOC) who had advocated its closure for decades. here’s the problem: Indian Point generated more energy than all solar and wind in NY state.🧵youtu.be/KC7YD98HixM

youtu.beWhy nuclear plants are shutting downThe nuclear power dilemma, explained.Subscribe and turn on notifications 🔔 so you don’t miss any videos: http://goo.gl/0bsAjOThe infamous Indian Point nucle...