In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate the declassification of the JFK files, Joni Mitchell, and our age of anxiety.
Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:
- In light of President Trump’s announcement that “he” would declassify a substantial chunk of the files surrounding the JFK assassination, we discussed the history of conspiracy theories around this event. Natalia and Neil cited Max Holland’s 1994 Reviews in American History article that explored why conspiracy theories proliferated so over JFK’s assassination.
- David Yaffe’s new biography of Joni Mitchell has reinvigorated interest in the folk singer widely considered a musical genius. Niki referenced The Ringer article explaining “fear of a female genius.” Natalia referred to Zadie Smith’s analysis of Mitchell’s unique poignancy born in part of her use of “complicated chords.”
- The New York Times recently published a longform article highlighting the extreme anxiousness of contemporary American teenagers. Neil referenced Scott Stossel’s Alternet article on the long history of anxiety and Natalia cited Ruth Whippman’s book America the Anxious.
In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:
- Natalia discussed the new podcast Sexing History, highlighting their recent episode on the Mark Eden breast-enhancement device (on which she is interviewed).
- Neil commented that the sitcom Will and Grace is back on the air.
- Niki discussed Sarada Peri’s Washington Post - Made By History article about the cost of sidestepping the Presidential Records Act.