Millennium Approaches

The podcast "Headlong: Surviving Y2K" explores the societal fears and reactions surrounding the Y2K bug as the year 2000 approached. It examines how the convergence of a potential computer glitch with the anxieties of a new millennium fueled widespread panic. The podcast introduces figures like Dave Eddy, who capitalized on Y2K fears by selling software solutions, and Bob Loblaw, a government coder who became a vocal skeptic, creating a website to debunk the perceived Y2K hysteria. The narrative highlights the blend of genuine concern and opportunistic behavior that characterized the era, illustrating how the anticipation of a global crisis shaped individual actions and beliefs. The episode sets the stage for a broader exploration of how humans react to perceived apocalyptic events.