logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
41m 21s

Neckties are Utterly Ridiculous

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

It's easy to look at history and think one idea or another is ridiculous -- but we also have to remember modern civilization has its own vast collection of cartoonish concepts. You know, the sort of stuff we all agreed was "normal" until we really started to think about it. In today's episode, the guys explore a fashion staple that's baffled Ben for more than a decade: Why on Earth do we have neckties? Where did they come from, and why are they considered a stamp of professionalism in the modern day? Tune in to learn more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
A Ridiculous History of "Fad Diets"
Everyone in the developed world knows someone who's tried a 'fad diet' -- these are the so-called miracle practices that promise to help people lose weight and keep it off, through any number of potentially dubious methods. But where did they come from? In today's episode, Ben, N ... Show More
43m 40s
Jul 8
A Titanic Disaster: That Time An Entire Production Crew Tripped Off Bad Chowder
James Cameron's Titanic was, by all accounts, a blockbuster success. And, like so many other masterpieces, the story of its creation is a tale all its own. In today's episode, Ben and Noel dive deep into a little-known disaster that struck the already-tense production: someone la ... Show More
44m 30s
Jul 3
CLASSIC: Back When the Rich Ate Corpses
Nowadays it's safe to say that cannibalism isn't a widely-accepted practice, but not so long ago it was considered the bleeding edge (get it?) in medicine throughout Western Europe. Join Ben and Noel as they explore the odd practice of consuming human body parts in hopes of curri ... Show More
36m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2018
Safety Pins
Safety pins are so ubiquitous, we take them for granted. But that’s the genius of their design – they work so intuitively they might as well have come from nature. Instead, they were invented by a man who never went to the trouble of patenting them.  Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More
11m 38s
Apr 2022
Lessons from the Fashion History Books - Rachel Elspeth Gross's Fab Instagram Feed
What Can Fashion History Teach Us About Sustainability? Which fashion figures tower over the history books? Who’s fame stands the test of time, and who gets forgotten - and why? What can we learn from wartime rationing and the Make Do & Mend movement? How was life when home-sewin ... Show More
54m 8s
Sep 2024
Four Eyes Good: The History of Glasses
Glasses as we know them have only been around for a few hundred years. So what did people do before this? And how did things change once spectacles were on the scene? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
50m 23s
Sep 2015
Yuval Noah Harari on the myths we need to survive
Myths. We tend to think they’re a thing of the past, fabrications that early humans needed to believe in because their understanding of the world was so meagre. But what if modern civilisation were itself based on a set of myths? This is the big question posed by Professor Yuval ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 2023
CLASSIC: From the Past to the Modern Day: Does torture actually work?
It's one of the most ancient practices in human civilization, and one that continues in the modern day. In recent decades experts, military officials and activists alike have argued over the definitions of torture -- and, most importantly, whether it actually works. So how much t ... Show More
1 h
Jul 2017
William Hogarth
In the early 18th century, an engraver-turned-artist made his mark on the art world by producing satirical prints in series that commented on morality and society. And some of his work is used today as a teaching tool. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcast ... Show More
35m 33s
Mar 2025
Are You Not Entertained? The Myths and Truths About Roman Gladiators
When you think about ancient gladiators, you likely have a certain vision that comes to mind: slaves forced to fight to the death for the entertainment of bloodthirsty Romans.But much of what we think we know about gladiators is actually wrong.Today on the show, Alexander Mariott ... Show More
58m 9s
Oct 2024
573: Symbols of Power: Deciphering the Language of the Secret Elite
How closely have you looked at the one-dollar bill? You've seen that unfinished pyramid and mysterious eye thousands of times, but have you ever wondered why they're there? These symbols connect to an intricate web of signs that stretches from ancient Egypt through medieval secre ... Show More
35m 14s
Jul 2020
Chairman of the Bored
Some things aren't as real as they seem, and others...well, we sort of wish they weren't real at all. We'll explain all during today's tour. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
9m 21s