The Saxophone Theory of Everything

The “Smartphone Theory of Everything” — the idea that smartphones are wholly or partially to blame for a wide range of negative social trends — has gained traction in recent years.

Something similar happened with radio — and a new genre it helped popularize: Jazz. Giving rise to what you could call ‘The Saxophone Theory of Everything.’

Here are some headlines that blamed jazz for negative macro trends:

Times Record News Wichita Falls, Texas • Wed, Jun 16, 1926 Page 14

Crime Waves

Bayonne Evening News Bayonne, New Jersey • Wed, Dec 2, 1925 Page 2

Suicides

The Greensboro Record Greensboro, North Carolina • Thu, Apr 17, 1924 Page 1

Bad Grades

Detroit Free Press Detroit, Michigan • Tue, Mar 13, 1923 Page 13

Goitre

Waterloo Region Record Kitchener, Ontario, Canada • Thu, Jun 12, 1924 Page 1

Indigestion

Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles, Washington • Fri, Dec 2, 1927 Page 7

Labor Shortage

Lincoln Journal Star Lincoln, Nebraska • Wed, Mar 31, 1920 Page 2

Heart Failure

Saint John Times Globe Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada • Sat, Oct 6, 1928 Page 16

Bigger Feet

The Sunday Oregonian Portland, Oregon • Sun, Dec 19, 1926 Page 16

Lack of Beards

The Charlotte News Charlotte, North Carolina • Wed, Jun 16, 1926 Page 2

Marriage Decrease

The Register Santa Ana, California • Fri, Jan 29, 1926 Page 11

Unwed Mothers

Post-Bulletin Rochester, Minnesota • Tue, Apr 21, 1925 Page 6

Moral Decay

The Asheville Times Asheville, North Carolina • Fri, Jun 3, 1960 Page 5

Indigestion

The Roanoke Times Roanoke, Virginia • Tue, Mar 29, 1927 Page 7

Lack of Salmon

The Expositor Brantford, Ontario, Canada • Wed, Oct 27, 1926 Page 5