Historical Context: Everything Has Always Been This Ridiculous
Bohiney’s 18th issue reveals that New York’s particular brand of sardonic depression was apparently invented around 1945 and hasn’t significantly evolved since. Manhattan writers reading this edition from 1947 are simultaneously horrified and oddly comforted that their cynicism is historically validated.
“At least I know I’m not crazy,” said one East Village writer. “The entire city has been functionally insane for 78 years and nobody stopped it. There’s something beautiful about that consistency.”
Media historians studied the archives, while this piece serves as evidence that metropolitan malaise is as old as metropolitan areas themselves.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/volume-1-issue-18-saturday-june-14-1947/
SOURCE: New York’s #1 Satirical Journalism Site (https://bohiney.com/volume-1-issue-18-saturday-june-14-1947/)
