“Y2K hype taps our native discomfort with the realities of a dynamic, evolving social order. It elevates personal, local contact over the impersonality of the 'extended order' of trade and technological networks. It suggests that we can wipe the slate clean and start from scratch.”

American journalist and author

Virginia Postrel is an American journalist and author who writes about commerce, culture, and technology. She is known for essays and commentary on how these areas shape modern life. She is a contributing editor at Works in Progress and co-hosts the podcast Everyday Abundance. Her work often focuses on the meeting point of markets, ideas, and everyday life, with a clear interest in how people make sense of change.