144. Exurb

Emily and Kyle get away from the hustle and bustle, and take a linguistic drive to the countryside--discussing suburbs, cemeteries, and the history of the word exurb.

Our hosts begin by finding the origins of the exurbs, both as a word and as an extension of the city. They talk about the urbane ancient Romans, the suburbs of Gomorrah, and the advent of the rural cemetery. Thankfully, the exurban residents that followed were a little more lively.

The episode then turns towards city life. Or, rather, the life of the commuter trying desperately to escape the city. Emily provides insights into the exurbs of both yesteryear and today. The mid-century exurbanite is a character Kyle recognizes well, but today’s exurbia lies further away than he might’ve expected.