Past Present

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of gratitude. Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:  Thanksgiving is upon us, but gratitude is a virtue celebrated in American culture all year long. Natalia and Niki referred to Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Bright-Sided: Why Positive Thinking Is Undermining America, and Natalia drew on this piece to argue why a historical perspective is illuminating, if counterintuitive, on this question. All three hosts referenced the critique of gratitude as a therapeutic practice articulated in this Baffler article.   In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History: Natalia shared about the new co-working space in Saks Fifth Avenue, profiled in this New York Times piece by Ginia Bellafante. Neil discussed Ben Smith’s New York Times article, “His Reasons For Opposing Trump Were Biblical. Now A Top Christian Editor Is Out.” Niki recommended Paul F