Listen. Never have I felt older than this moment, in which I am lecturing via podcast about the historical epoch that is the 1990s (or, as the kids refer to it, “The late 1900s.”) 

So, what were the 1990s about? It was confusing. We didn’t have a clear “enemy” in the world anymore. The internet boom glossed over rising inequality. The world became “globalized” and the country became obsessed with talking about “multiculturalism” and whether that was a good or bad thing. The 1990s are a hodge-podge of developments that will become more important as “origin stories” for 21st century developments. It was a decade full of stories but also kind of about nothing. 

Today we’re talking about the 1990s or, “The Seinfeld Decade.” I’m Emily Glankler; this is Anti-Social Studies; settle in and let’s go back in time…