logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
42m 43s

Who, exactly, were the Luddites?

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Today you'll hear people described as 'Luddites' if they don't care for -- or don't understand -- some newer piece of technology, but where did this phrase come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and guest producer Tari trace the term back to its surprising origin story ... a violent labor uprising that, these days, remains largely forgotten.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
CLASSIC: The Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm I Tried To Make An Army of Super Tall Soldiers
Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm was fascinated by all things military, but the crown jewel of his army was a group known as the Potsdam Giants -- men recruited on the basis of their height alone. If these tall boys, teens and men didn't want to sign up for the Giants, the King ha ... Show More
34m 6s
Sep 5
CLASSIC: Playboy, Progressive Politics and Stand-up: The Dick Gregory Story, with Wayne Federman
In this episode, Wayne Federman joins the guys to explore the rise of legendary comedian Dick Gregory, who began life as a boundary-breaking stand-up comic. Tune in as the gang explore's Gregory's evolution, his association with Hugh Hefner, and his later calling as a full-time c ... Show More
50m 23s
Sep 3
The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and Anti-tipping Crusades
While tipping is widely accepted (and expected) in the United States today, this wasn't always the case. In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max learn how scheming corporations used tipping as a way to exploit newly-freed employees... and how the an ... Show More
42m 52s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
The Luddites: Misunderstood Working Class Heroes
Today we think of Luddites as people who don’t know how to use technology or are maybe even afraid of it. That’s pretty far from what the original Luddites were all about. They were the first workers to fight for fair treatment. They were not successful.See omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More
41m 27s
Sep 2023
What the Luddites Can Teach Us about AI
The Luddites did not hate technology—but they did fight the way it was used to exploit humans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
11m 21s
Feb 2024
Why Big Tech is Ruining Our Lives with Brian Merchant
<p>Express skepticism about technology and you might be labeled a "Luddite." However, the true story of the historical Luddites offers a fascinating perspective on the relationship between workers and technology. In this episode, Adam chats with tech journalist Brian Merchant, au ... Show More
1 h
Aug 2023
General Ludd's Rage Against the Machines
1812. A band of "Luddites" is laying siege to a textile mill in the North of England, under cover of night. They plan to destroy the machines that are replacing their jobs. But mill owner William Cartwright is prepared: he's fortified his factory with skilled marksmen, fearsome e ... Show More
36m 20s
Sep 2023
Blood in the Machine
<p>Brian Merchant is a tech reporter, and he'd been covering the industry for years when he started to notice a term that kept coming up. When he wrote a story that was critical of tech, he'd be accused of being a "Luddite."</p><p>Like most people, Brian knew at least vaguely wha ... Show More
29m 4s
Jul 2024
Gaslighting to Woke: Origins of Modern Buzzwords
What does it mean to be 'woke'? What did the bluesman Leadbelly mean when he coined the phrase? And what does a story set in Victorian London have to do with the term gaslighting?Joining Kate today is Robbie Morgan, Lecturer and Consultant in Applied Ethics at Leeds University, t ... Show More
40m 27s
Mar 2024
Were Viking Berserkers Real?
Have you ever heard someone described as going "beserk"? Turns out there's a ton of strange history behind this phrase. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the bizarre phenomenon of berserkers, the elite Viking fighting force that remains shrouded in myth and controv ... Show More
56m 24s
Mar 2019
The Phoebus Cartel
Have you ever wondered why your smartphone or toaster oven doesn't seem to last very long, even though technology is becoming better and better? This week, in a special collaboration with Planet Money, we bring you the history of planned obsolescence – the idea that products are ... Show More
32m 46s
Apr 2024
Daron Acemoglu on Marxism and AI
Are we, in fact, living in a time of revolution? What it means and what you can do about it, according to one of MIT’s greatest thinkers. Power and Progress: Our 1,000-Year Struggle Over Technology & Prosperity Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf ... Show More
28m 1s