As discomfiting as it is to both market optimists and policy activists, a certain amount of instability is inherent to the economy. Virginia Postrel activistamountdiscomfit Change image and share on social
Wars without military objectives have a tendency to go on forever. Virginia Postrel forevermilitaryobjective Change image and share on social
When 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on the WB Network in 1996, American culture was in trouble. Americans were bowling alone, pursuing individual interests to the detriment of the communal good. Business leaders were celebrating creativity and neglecting discipline. Nike's 'Just do it' ads were teaching young people to break the rules. Virginia Postrel americanbuffybusiness share on social
Living with a single kidney is almost exactly like living with two; the remaining kidney expands to take up the slack. (When kidneys fail, they generally fail together; barring trauma or cancer, there's not much advantage to a backup.) The main risk to the donor is the risk of any surgery. Virginia Postrel advantagebackupbar share on social
Like the skyscraper, the automobile, and the motion-picture palace, neon signs once symbolized popular hopes for a new era of technological achievement and commercial abundance. From the 1920s to the 1950s, neon-lit streets pulsed with visual excitement from Vancouver to Miami. Virginia Postrel 1920s1950sabundance share on social
Socialism is about claims of justice, and it is also about money: about wealth, income, physical and financial capital. It is an ideology based on allocating economic resources. It may try to achieve that goal by nationalizing assets, by command-and-control regulation, or by taxation and redistribution. Virginia Postrel achieveallocateasset share on social
The definition of an 'operating system' is bound to evolve with customer demands and technological possibilities. Virginia Postrel bindcustomerdefinition Change image and share on social
Storage problems make neon signs the most ephemeral of commercial arts. Virginia Postrel artcommercialephemeral Change image and share on social
Glamour is not something you possess but something you perceive, not something you have but something you feel. It is a subjective response to a stimulus. Virginia Postrel feelglamourperceive Change image and share on social
The innovative process is a fragile one, dependent on a complex, often messy interplay of imagination, competition, and exchange. Curbing new ideas hurts not only individual creators but the audience for which they create and the posterity that inherits their legacy. Virginia Postrel audiencecompetitioncomplex share on social