Everyday Abundance: The hidden stories behind everyday technologies

About Everyday Abundance: The hidden stories behind everyday technologies

Everyday Abundance explores the hidden histories behind everyday activities and the technologies we don’t even know are technologies. Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann dive into the surprising stories behind everything from brushing your teeth to music and driving your car. Sponsored by the Abundance Institute.

Publisher

Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Jun 2026

Latest episode

17 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Driving Your Car: What Makes Commutes Possible

   Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann explore the forgotten history of traffic laws and road design that enable modern driving.

2. 

   3 Aug 2026

   Blowing Your Nose: The Handkerchief-Industrial Complex

   Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann explore the surprising history of nose-blowing, from the handkerchief-industrial complex to the rise of disposable tissues, revealing insights into consumer culture.

3. 

   20 Jul 2026

   Shopping for Groceries: The Hunger Games

   Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann explore the hidden technologies that created the modern supermarket, revealing its radical break from the past.

4. 

   6 Jul 2026

   Doing Laundry: Appliances of Freedom

   Virginia Postrel and Charles C. Mann interview each other about how the electric washing machine liberated millions from arduous labor, transforming society and domestic life.

5. 

   22 Jun 2026

   Listening to Music: Treble Makers

   Host Virginia and guest John Hardin explore music's transformation from scarcity to digital streaming, revealing how recording technology reshaped listening and the industry.

6. 

   8 Jun 2026

   Brushing Your Teeth: The 12,000 Year War

   Host Virginia and guest Charles explore the surprising 12,000-year history of dental hygiene, revealing how the toothbrush and toothpaste revolutionized oral health.

7. 

   8 Jun 2026

   Making a Meal of the Family Meal: Cooking Dinner

   Host Virginia and guest Charles explore the surprising history of the family meal, revealing how cooking and kitchens evolved into modern traditions.

8. 

   8 Jun 2026

   Working Out: The Invention of Exercise

   Host Virginia and guest Charles explore the fascinating evolution of exercise from daily necessity to a global multibillion-dollar industry.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

40 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

20 ratings

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