Sometime around 2015 there was a mysterious vibe shift in web design. It came so suddenly, and with so much decisive force, that it stood apart from the normal ebb and flow of aesthetic trends. It was like an invasive species taking over an ecosystem from a weaker competitor. What happened?

Editor’s Note: This topic is now comprehensively covered in my book, Broken Money. Money is a surprisingly complex subject.

This was part i of . i. ii. The Infinite Frontier as American Capitalism’s Response to the Malthusian Trap iii. Advertising, IP Law, and the Invisible Hand Subscribe to get notified when I post more essays.

The first American automobile maker, Duryea Motor Wagon Company, was founded in 1895; 34 more auto-makers would be founded in the U.S. in the following five years.