# Panic from the Past

URL: /show/the-launch/56/
> In 1896, critics claimed the bicycle was "the devil’s advance agent." In 1860, doctors swore trains traveling over 30 mph caused "instant insanity." Today, the panic has a new face and a $20 million price tag.

- Show: [The Launch 🚀](/show/the-launch/)
- Episode: 56
- Date: 2026-02-25
- Hosts: angela-fisher, chris
- Duration: 01:03:02
- Audio: https://op3.dev/e/serve.podhome.fm/episode/f01a19c0-6f9d-4aef-9515-08dc15242149/6390758795970927950c953f4a-2296-4518-99b2-535f445388d6.mp3


Transcripts: [application/x-subrip](https://assets.podhome.fm/f01a19c0-6f9d-4aef-9515-08dc15242149/0c953f4a-2296-4518-99b2-535f445388d6639075890906171839.srt) [text/vtt](https://assets.podhome.fm/f01a19c0-6f9d-4aef-9515-08dc15242149/0c953f4a-2296-4518-99b2-535f445388d6639075890901021979.vtt) [text/html](https://assets.podhome.fm/f01a19c0-6f9d-4aef-9515-08dc15242149/transcript_0c953f4a-2296-4518-99b2-535f445388d6639075890911743875.html)




### Episode Links

**CALL 1-774-462-5667**

* [Anthropic to Donate $20M to AI Regulation-Backed PAC (Reuters)](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/anthropic-donate-20-million-us-political-group-backing-ai-regulation-2026-02-12/)
* [Anthropic CEO Pushes Regulation Favoring Big Companies (Reason)](https://reason.com/2025/11/19/anthropics-ceo-says-ai-needs-more-regulation-conveniently-its-the-kind-anthropic-can-afford)
* [Context: Anthropic & OpenAI Plan IPO (YouTube)](https://youtu.be/Q22hihy6qcw?t=235)
* [Anthropic CEO: AI Will Surpass Humans Soon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N08tjtx-oAc)
* [Claude Identifies as DeepSeek — stevibe on X](https://x.com/stevibe/status/2026227392076018101)
* [Anthropic Can De-Anonymize Users — Lukasz Olejnik on X](https://x.com/lukOlejnik/status/2026237286505959779)
* [AI’s Biggest Builders Are Now Its Biggest Lobbyists (Forbes)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/phoebeliu/2026/02/20/ais-biggest-builders-openai-anthropic-among-biggest-government-lobbyists/)
* [Does the Bicycle Make Women Cruel?](https://retrospectjournal.com/2025/11/09/does-the-bicycle-make-women-cruel-freedom-feminism-and-the-fin-de-siecle/)
* [Edison Brings Electricity to New York City](https://kcts9.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/edison-brings-electricity-new-york-city-video/new-york-documentary-film/)
* [The 1912 War on Fake Photos](https://newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org/p/the-1912-war-on-fake-photos)
* [War of the Worlds Panic Was Anti-Radio Propaganda](https://newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org/p/that-war-of-the-worlds-panic-was)
* [Victorian Fear of Railway Madness](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/railway-madness-victorian-trains)
* [Reese’s Family Member Accuses Hershey of Cheaper Ingredients](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMUmYFZEQ6o)
* [Grandson of Reese’s Inventor Criticizes Hershey (AP News)](https://apnews.com/article/reeses-peanut-butter-cups-hershey-chocolate-1a66ec75247fd146888b7a747a740cd3)
* [Obama Says Aliens Are Real (Short)](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cWdNvdChYfc)
* [Obama Clarifies Alien Comments](https://youtu.be/Vfcor7P58P8?t=46)
* [Dirt and Sand — Strange Love](https://podcastindex.org/podcast/7698614?episode=49947874896)