Richard Sears & Alvah Roebuck
by Richard Sears & Alvah Roebuck – The Masters of Mail-Order and Rural Consumer Trust
Author: Alan
Alan Nafzger is a writer and academic originally from Texas with a background in history and political science. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University and a master’s from Texas State University in San Marcos, then completed his Ph.D. at University College Dublin in Ireland, focusing on Leninism and the Russian Revolution. Nafzger has authored dark novels and experimental screenplays, including works produced internationally, blending literary craft with cultural critique. He is also known for his work in satirical commentary, hosting and contributing to multiple satire-focused platforms where he explores modern society’s absurdities with sharp insight and humor. He is editor-in-chief of the seriously funny Bohiney.com.
The Typewriter (Christopher Sholes)
The Typewriter (Christopher Sholes) – The Machine That Created the Modern Office and Professionalized Secretarial Work
The Adding Machine (William Burroughs)
The Adding Machine (William Burroughs) – The Pioneer of Office Automation and Mechanical Calculation
The Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad – The “Standard Railroad of the World” and Pioneer of Managerial Hierarchy
The Pony Express (Brief, but iconic)
The Pony Express (Brief, but iconic) – The Daring but Financially Doomed Experiment in Ultra-Fast Communication
Marshall Field (Department Store)
Marshall Field (Department Store) – The Merchant Prince Who Invented Modern Customer Service
The “Antitrust” Resurgence (vs. Google, Meta, Amazon)
The “Antitrust” Resurgence (vs. Google, Meta, Amazon) – The Renewed Assault on Big Tech’s Market Power
The De Beers Consolidated Mines (Cecil Rhodes)
The De Beers Consolidated Mines (Cecil Rhodes) – The Cartel That Mastered the Art of Diamond Scarcity
The United Fruit Company
The United Fruit Company – The Multinational That Defined “Banana Republic” Neocolonialism
The Standard Oil Trust
The Standard Oil Trust – The Archetypal Monopoly That Sparked the Antitrust Era