About this episode
The message from Silicon Valley seems to be that self-driving cars are the way of the future. This week, On the Media considers the history behind the present-day salesmanship. Plus, why transit rights mean much more than point-A-to-point-B mobility. Also, a new opera about Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. 1. Angie Schmitt [ @schmangee ], national reporter at Streetsblog, on the "heartwarming" stories of Americans who walk miles and miles to work . Listen. 2. Peter Norton , professor of history at University of Virginia's Department of Engineering and Society, and Emily Badger , urban policy reporter for the New York Times, on the past, present and dazzling future of self-driving car salesmanship. Listen. 3. Judd Greenstein [ @juddgreenstein ], composer, on the in-progress opera, A Marvelous Order. Listen. 4. Kafui Attoh , professor of urban studies at the CUNY Graduate Center, on the deeper political meanings of "transit rights." Listen. Music from this week's show: Dan Deacon — USA III: Rail Iggy Pop — The Passenger Gary Numan — Cars Judd Greenstein — Change Judd Greenstein — A Marvelous Order Brian Eno — Music For Airports On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.