Volume 1: A sound on Wall Street, Xinxiang City is busy copying books Chapter 175 Radio
This chapter's subtitle: It really only took one sentence, but it was written in four thousand words
Commercial radio broadcasting was born in the United States in November 1920, but the first commercial radio station to broadcast was not NYPR in New York, but KDKA in Pittsburgh.
Radio was a revolutionary form of entertainment for the United States in the 1920s, comparable to the Internet in later generations. In fact, television is just an upgraded version of radio with pictures.
However, in the original timeline, radio broadcasting really made the whole nation crazy in 1922, so it was called "the mania of 1922". People were amazed by this new phenomenon of "pulling sound from the air". For Americans at that time, radio was more exotic and magical than the first regular television broadcast in the late 1940s. Radio broadcasting was worshiped and regarded as a triumph of science.
Interestingly, some Americans at the time accused radio waves of harming birds, causing floods and droughts, making mattress springs vibrate, cracking floors, causing children to vomit, and summoning ghosts... This is just like some people in a big country in the East who believed that mobile phone signal towers cause cancer a hundred years later.
By 1930, the average American city had one radio for every two households, and one for every five households in the countryside. Yes, just like the whole village in a certain big country in the East gathered to watch TV at the house with a TV, the American people would flock to the homes of neighbors who had radios to enjoy this "modern technology". This was called a "radio party".
The modern American middle class was shaped by the automobile, the telephone, the electrification of the home, and, of course, commercial radio. Radio in particular profoundly changed Americans’ sexual attitudes, gender roles, and child-rearing practices. Its importance cannot be overstated.
Ironically, radio broadcasting did not promote women's freedom, but instead shaped women into flappers and housewives in response to market demand in the mid-1920s. These two images replaced the suffragists in the early 1920s and became the standard template for "modern women".
The television that followed further deepened this shaping of women, making these two images of "modern women" used until the 1970s. It was not until the rise of the hippie movement and the feminist movement that this rigid impression of American women was finally broken, but it was only "broken".
Another point that must be mentioned is the impact of radio on American children. Radio replaced parents as the first teacher of preschool children. This "teacher" also wanted to make money, so the children who grew up in the 1920s became the first batch of true "consumers".
In addition, radio broadcasting has brought about some subtle changes in American society.
Black jazz was broadcast to every household through the radio. White Americans did not like to see black people, but they could still listen to the songs and music played by black people. The light jazz immediately conquered the ears of stubborn Americans, so the period from World War I to the Great Depression was also called the "Jazz Age."
Just as the “free” music downloads from the Internet dealt a heavy blow to the record industry in the 21st century a hundred years later, radio also caused a significant decline in the sales of all kinds of records in the United States at that time. However, because the economic status of black Americans was low, they could not afford radios and had to continue to buy records, which forced some record companies to turn to producing music that black people liked.
These two factors, one big and one small, have led to half of the American music industry being occupied by black people.
In short, radio broadcasting has played a role in promoting America's transition from the "Progressive" era to the "Hedonistic" era..
"I have always told the public this, and I will say it again: Although I am the chairman of NYPR (New York Public Radio) and later APR (American Public Radio), without my friend Yuan Yanshu, there would not be this radio station that has always ranked first in the listening rate..."
"The founding of APR is truly legendary, and I was one of the parties involved and witnesses. My friend Yuan Yanshu said that he could convince my grandfather with just one sentence to help him build a national radio station. I swear on my grandfather's grave that I really believed he could do it. There's no other way. The longer you are in contact with Neo, the more you will believe that any miracle may happen to him..."
"Besides me, Thomas Edison and his youngest son Theodore Edison were also present. Unlike me, they not only did not believe that Neo could do such a thing, but they suspected that he wanted to become a lifelong employee of the First National Bank of New York. From what I know about my grandfather, he should have hoped that Mr. Yuan Yanshu would really work for him for the rest of his life..."
"But I must admit frankly that I thought Neo would speak eloquently as usual. According to him, "even though you don't quite understand what he's saying, you always feel that he's very powerful." As for 'one sentence', it's either a rhetorical device or a unique joke..."
"However, to my surprise, he only said one sentence, and there were only three words in this sentence, which was..."
—Excerpt from Louise Baker’s memoir, Miracle of a Family of Miracles
"Mr. Yuan Yanshu and I met in New Jersey on November 21, 1920. Why do I remember it so clearly? Because this day is very important to me. Frankly speaking, although I studied physics at Columbia University, I love literature and art more. Unfortunately, I really lack talent , and I was pressured by my father, so I chose a major that I didn't like very much. But on that day, Mr. Yuan pointed out the direction of my career for me..."
"Everyone says that my father, Thomas Edison, is a genius. But in the eyes of a son like me, he is just an old man who is more hardworking and stubborn than the average person. Speaking of geniuses of the 20th century in my mind, in the science field, they are naturally the two great physicists Albert Einstein and Max Planck. As for the genius in the humanities, I think there is only one Mr. Yuan Yanshu. The first two opened the door to the quantum world for us, while the latter holds the key to the door to our hearts..."
"I realized this when I first met Mr. Yuan Yanshu. He used only three words to convince Mr. George Baker to fund a grand plan he had conceived. Of course, this sentence also convinced me, and even my stubborn father had to admit that this Chinese was very 'in-blowing'. And this sentence was..."
—Excerpt from an interview conducted by Mr. Theodore Edison in the 1930s.
"Panem et circuses."
Yuan Yan suddenly blew out a cloud of smoke from her mouth, and a sentence in Latin spread out along with the curling smoke.
Anyone who can be called an "intellectual" in Europe and America can speak a few words of Latin. This is just like anyone who can be called an "intellectual" in China can speak a few words of... classical Chinese.
That’s right, Latin is the classical Chinese of the white people in Europe.
Until a hundred years later, Latin was one of the required subjects in law and medicine. American judges would write judgments in Latin, and American doctors would write medical records in Latin. The general public, who could not read such judgments and medical records, could only find a lawyer or another doctor who knew Latin.
In other words, Latin, like classical Chinese, is an "aristocratic language" used to distinguish between the upper and lower classes.
It is somewhat ironic that a certain big country in the East has broken the barriers of classical Chinese in order to welcome "Mr. Democracy" and "Mr. Science" brought by Western countries. This is the vernacular movement that is currently in full swing... Don't worry, our Master Yuan will definitely get involved.
The status of Latin is so high that the best bachelor's, master's and doctoral students in Europe and the United States are awarded honorary degrees in Latin.
Just like Philosophic Doctor does not refer to a doctorate in philosophy, Summa Cum Laude does not refer to a student studying Latin, but to the top graduate..
So the poor old Baker and old Edison couldn't understand this sentence, but the rich second-generation young Baker and young Edison blurted out: "Bread and circuses?"
Very good, with these two human translators, you won’t look like an idiot when you try to show off.
"That's right, gentlemen. It's what the ancient Romans called bread and circuses!"
Yuan Yanshu stood proudly with a cigar in his hand, looking around at the four people around him with burning eyes, and finally focused his gaze on George F. Baker.
The 80-year-old man frowned in thought at first, but he soon relaxed his brows, raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to reveal a happy expression.
“Hmmmm… hehe… hahahaha…”
He couldn't help laughing, and his laughter grew louder and louder.
Mr. Baker laughed for a long time before he stopped laughing. He sighed with regret and shook his head, saying, "Mr. Yuan, what a pity..."
"I don't think you'll come to my First National Bank of New York. But..."
"I'm really convinced by you, so..."
“You win!”
Yuan Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief . This "Wall Street Miracle" was born in poverty, so he probably didn't know Latin. But a big man like him who could climb to such a high position must love learning, so he should know something about ancient Roman history.
A big capitalist who has read ancient Roman history, is well versed in the development of the American economy, has been exposed to various industries, and has a smart and flexible mind can definitely understand the meaning of the phrase "Panem et circuses."
"Thank you!" Our Master Yuan smiled slightly, circled his right hand in front of his chest a few times, put his left hand behind his buttocks, and bowed to the old man in a casual manner like an actor taking his curtain call.
He straightened up and smiled, "Mr. Baker, you didn't lose either!"
"Hmm...hahaha!" George Baker thought for a moment and nodded with a smile: "Yes, I did not lose!"
Then, the old and the young smiled at each other, and everything was said without words...
However, the other two people, one old and two young, could not keep up with their thinking...
"And he really convinced my grandfather with one sentence. But apart from the two of them, Mr. Edison and I and his son didn't understand the meaning of his words at all. At that time, as Neo often said wittily, 'I felt that my IQ and self-esteem had suffered a heavy blow'..."
"And what hurt me even more was that I finally asked..."
—Excerpt from Louise Baker’s memoir, Miracle of a Family of Miracles
"No way, Louis. You didn't understand?"
"What? Theodore, you understand but you can't say it?"
"So what about Mr. Edison...you understand but you don't want to say it?"
"In that case, let me explain it briefly."
Our Master Yuan took another long puff of his cigar, and after a puff of smoke, he said calmly: "Gentlemen, we and the American people are living in an era that, although not the best, can still be considered a good one..."
Of course, this is for you Americans. And since we are still nine years away from the Great Depression, you...well, I, too, should enjoy it together.
He nodded to Mr. George Baker, smiled sincerely at Mr. Thomas Edison and said, "It is because of outstanding people like Mr. Baker and Mr. Edison that the United States of America is so prosperous today. The American people are not only away from hunger and war, but also saying goodbye to poverty and hardship..."
But my motherland and my compatriots still have to wallow in the quagmire of hunger and war, and it will take a hundred years before we can see the dawn of a well-off society for all.
He pointed at the other two young Americans and said, "Shouldn't we, the younger generations, continue along the path they have opened up? They have met the basic material needs of the American people, and we should provide their spiritual needs..."
But as to where this "demand" will take the American people, it's best to let me have the final say!
When Yuan Yanshu said this, the other three "New Roman nobles" who were also considered smart people finally showed an expression of sudden enlightenment.
Ancient Roman nobles had the obligation to provide free bread to Roman citizens and also the obligation to let them watch wonderful circus fights.
The nobles of the new Rome were not obliged to provide free bread, but they were obliged to provide wonderful circus fights. What's even better is that the nobles of the new Rome also had the power to gain huge profits from the non-free bread and wonderful circus fights!
"Gentlemen, your drinks!"
At this time, the waiter brought their after-dinner drinks, and Yuan Yan ordered a Bloody Mary.
If this world is destined to be drowned in blood, then as a time traveler, I naturally have the obligation and the power to make this blood flow more brilliantly, more colorfully, and more beneficial to my motherland and my compatriots.
Isn’t that the case?!
Master Yuan, who should have been favored by Hades, raised the transparent wine glass filled with scarlet liquid. At this moment, he smiled brilliantly as if possessed by Apollo and said, "Gentlemen..."
"CHEERS!"
