PODCAST · society
Silent Generation
by Silent Generation
Silent Generation is a Chicago-based cultural analysis podcast that surveys the cultural consequences of car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. It explores what was lost between the Silent Generation and Generation Z. Topics discussed include aesthetics, fashion, history, and urbanism.Find us on Instagram: silent.generation
Episodes
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Ep. 119: Transplant Culture [EXTENDED TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration The term “transplant” refers to domestic migrants who move to major cities from small towns and suburbs. Closely related terms like “yuppie,” “PMC,” and “gentrifier” suggest high salaries, but the term “transplant” is...
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Ep. 118: Yuppies 2 w/ Dylan Gottlieb
This week’s episode of Silent Generation revisits the subject of one of our most popular episodes: yuppies. These are the “young urban professionals” who flooded into finance, law, and politics during the 1980s. While the original episode on yuppies (Ep. 116: Yuppies) offered a comprehensive...
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Ep. 117: São Paulo
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Sebastien interviews Nathan about his most recent trip to Brazil. Nathan begins by sharing his impressions of São Paulo’s metro system and of the nearby railroad town of Paranapiacaba. He then details his time in Curitiba, where he rode the city’s bus...
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Checking In
In this announcement Nathan shares some recent health changes that are going to affect podcast output in the short term. Links: Ep. 1: Flâneur [UNLOCKED] Ep. 37: Male Desire w/ Charles Livingston [UNLOCKED] Ep. 59: Outerwear [UNLOCKED] Artwork: Photographed by Katie Recorded on 8/24/2026
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Ep. 116: Settling Down w/ Sam [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration What does it mean to “settle down”? What is the difference between “settling down” and “committing”? Does the phrase “settling down” have negative connotations, and do those negative connotations come from men? Do men…
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Ep. 115: Landscape Architecture
Over the course of the 19th century, the field of landscape architecture emerged as the practice of gardening became increasingly professionalized. The first person to call themselves a “landscape architect” and popularize the term in the United States remains the only landscape architect that…
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Ep. 114: National Park Service Rustic
National Park Service Rustic, also known as “parkitecture,” was the dominant architectural style of national parks from roughly 1916 to 1942. Many early examples of the “rustic” style were commissioned by private railroad companies, such as the Fred Harvey company, in order to lure tourists out...
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Ep. 113: Shoegaze [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Shoegaze is a subgenre of rock and roll that first emerged in the British Isles in the late 1980s. The term was coined by Andy Ross, a British music executive, who observed shoegaze artists “shoegazing” (looking down at...
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Ep. 112: Exurbs
Beginning in the mid-1990s, developers began building new low-density housing developments on the edge of major metropolitan areas: exurbs. These communities were even further from the city center, had even lower population densities, and were even more car dependent than typical American…
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Ep. 111: Streetcar Suburbs
Prior to the rise of the automobile, streetcars were the dominant form of transportation in American cities from roughly 1900 to 1930. Realizing their economic potential, developers began building new master-planned communities along streetcar lines now known as “streetcar suburbs.” Featuring…
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Ep. 110: Post-9/11 Country [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Although country music is often viewed as a conservative genre today, many of its early stars held progressive political views, raising the question of when and why the genre underwent a political shift. Numerous think...
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Ep. 109: American Manufacturing w/ Alex
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by Alex, an industrial engineer, to explore the enduring resonance of American manufacturing in the nation’s political and cultural landscape. The two begin with a discussion about whether they buy American-made and how different...
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Ep. 108. Freak Folk w/ Madeline Rupard
Freak Folk was a subgenre of folk music popular from the early to late 2000s that emerged after younger indie musicians took inspiration from 1960s psychedelic folk. Initially defying characterization, people started to label their music “Freak Folk” beginning in 2004 after Devendra Banhart…
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Ep. 107: Frutiger Aero [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Frutiger Aero is a consumer aesthetic prevalent from the mid-2000s to early 2010s that can trace its roots back to operating systems like Windows Longhorn, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X. Many of the aesthetic’s motifs can…
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Ep. 106: Algorave
“Algorave” is a portmanteau of “algorithm” and “rave” that describes an electronic music event where people watch live coding performances. The term was originally coined by Alex McLean, a musician and software developer who created the live coding environment TidalCycles and its offshoot…
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Ep. 105: The Information Age w/ Juniper
The Information Age is a historical period, beginning in the mid-20th century, that is characterized by an accelerated shift from analog technologies to digital ones. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, the boys are joined by Juniper, a friend of the pod who designed an app called Atopia...
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Ep. 104: The Clear Craze [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration The “Clear Craze” was a marketing fad from the late 1980s to early 2000s that led to an influx of transparent and translucent products. Consumers could suddenly purchase clear versions of electronics, beverages…
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Ep. 103: Those Characters From Cleveland
Those Characters From Cleveland, which first launched in 1981, was the character development division at American Greetings. Tasked with licensing existing greeting card characters like Holly Hobbie and Strawberry Shortcake into toys and cartoons, they quickly found success by launching new IPs...
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Ep. 102: Soft Countriana w/ Evan Collins
Soft Countriana is a consumer aesthetic that flourished from the 1970s to early 1990s that is composed of pastels, country geese, storybook creatures, and homages to the Victorian era. It describes the aesthetic that was most popular amongst “conservative grandmas in the 1980s,” though it broadly...
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Ep. 101: Water Transportation [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration For roughly seven decades from 1790 to 1855, water transportation was the dominant form of transportation in the United States. This week’s episode of Silent Generation begins with an examination of one of the most...
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The Silent Generation Thesis
In the summer of 2023, Joseph and I were having a conversation in Podlasie Club about different generational attitudes toward ultraprocessed food. We shared anecdotes about how boomers in our personal lives had little to no reservations about consuming them, while the generation above the boomers...
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Ep. 100: Witch House 2 w/ Pictureplane
Pictureplane, real name Travis Egedy, is a musician, artist, and fashion designer who popularized the term “witch house” in a 2009 interview with Pitchfork Magazine. In this follow up episode to Ep. 89: Witch House, Nathan and Breanna interview Pictureplane about his contributions to witch house...
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Ep. 99: Rockabillies
“Rockabilly” is a portmanteau of the words “rock” and “hillbilly” that originally described a subgenre of rock and roll music in the 1950s. This week’s episode of Silent Generation focuses on the rockabilly subculture: a modern interpretation of rockabilly that combines 1950s nostalgia with...
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Ep. 98: Art Deco
Art Deco is an art and design style relevant from the 1920s to 1930s that is best characterized by its use of metallic colors, geometric patterns, futuristic forms, and references to ancient civilizations. It is the most celebrated of all of the design styles that can be grouped under Interwar...
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Ep. 97: Early Skyscrapers
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien explore the early development of skyscrapers in Chicago, beginning with the construction of the Home Insurance Building in 1885. They note that nine early Chicago skyscrapers have been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site…
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Introducing Sebastien
In this special announcement, Nathan welcomes Sebastien as the newest cohost of Silent Generation! Nathan begins by noting that Sebastien will be the main cohost until Breanna officially moves to Chicago. Nathan then interviews Sebastien about his background (his life in Buffalo, his passion for...
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Ep. 96: Fine Dining
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Breanna begin by discussing how fine dining transitioned from an activity enjoyed at home to an activity enjoyed at restaurants. They then survey primary figures in the world of fine dining (A. Boulanger, Marie-Antoine Careme, Eugénie…
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Ep. 95: Dinner Parties
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Breanna discuss all things dinner parties. The two begin by discussing what they like about dinner parties and their personal experiences hosting and attending them. They then review common features of traditional dinner parties (cocktail...
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Ep. 94: Soft Colonial Wanderlust
Soft Colonial Wanderlust is a Victorian-inspired consumer aesthetic that was popular from the late 1980s to mid 2010s. It consists of black and white photographs, hand-colored photographs, antiquated technology, chinoiserie, japonisme, and general orientalism. Nathan and Breanna detail the...
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Introducing Breanna
In this special announcement, Nathan welcomes Breanna as the newest cohost of Silent Generation! The two kick things off by reflecting on their time in Dallas and the activities they shared the day before. Nathan then interviews Breanna about her background (who she is, where she has lived, and...
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Bidding Farewell to Joseph
In this important announcement, Joseph shares his plans to leave Silent Generation and Nathan shares his plans to continue it. The podcast will relaunch in two to three months with a new co-host that is familiar to the community. Nathan also shares that he is open to adding other regular...
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Ep. 93: Bicoastal Lifestyles w/ Nevadastyles
Nevada (also known as Nevadastyles on Instagram) is a hair artist from New York City who has lived a bicoastal lifestyle for the last half decade. For the majority of that time she has lived and worked in both New York City and Los Angeles, but her career as a hair artist has brought her all over...
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Ep. 92: Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary is a radio format and marketing category originally created by Billboard magazine. It has encompassed many genres, starting with easy listening in the 1960s. What could be considered adult contemporary changed over the decades as genres like rock and roll and electronic music...
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Ep. 91: Fraternities
Prior episodes of Silent Generation have focused on secular social movements that emerged around the turn of the 20th century. Fraternities technically predate this era, but they occupy a similar niche, and Joseph shares an important connection to them as a former fraternity brother. Why did they...
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Ep. 90: Cryptids [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration The field of cryptozoology emerged in the mid-20th century as people began to investigate sightings of mysterious creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster using pseudoscientific methods. On this week’s episode of...
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Ep. 89: Witch House
Witch house is a music genre and internet aesthetic that emerged in the late 2000s as bands combined occult imagery and sounds. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by noting that it was the very first internet aesthetic, with the earliest example being the 2005…
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Ep. 88: Privately Owned Rail
The United States once had the best public transportation system in the world. Private companies built subway, elevated, interurban, trolley, and long distance train lines with passenger service in mind. But as the automobile rose in popularity, ridership declined, and the country’s transit…
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Ep. 87: Civil Servant Culture [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration “Civil servants” are employees of the municipal, state, or federal government. Within cities they often live in far-flung areas that are colloquially referred to as “police neighborhoods" or “firefighter neighborhoods.”…
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Ep. 86: Finance Bros
In 2017 a new uniform emerged for men employed by the financial industry: fleece/ puffer vests, dress shirts, slacks, and dress shoes. The unadorned look was first documented by the Instagram account Midtownuniform, and it became the signature outfit of “finance bros.” Finance bros are the latest...
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Ep. 85: Father Figures [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan talk about father figures in their personal lives and in society more broadly. The episode opens with a discussion of familiar archetypes such as coaches…
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Ep. 84: Rest Stops w/ Madeline Rupard
Nothing expresses the aesthetics of infrastructure as clearly as American rest stops. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by artist and professor Madeline Rupard, whose paintings “consider the American landscape” and frequently depict rest stops. They begin by defining...
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Ep. 83: Infrastructure Aesthetics
The aesthetics of infrastructure are often treated as an expensive afterthought, noticed and appreciated only by artists. But can it even be beautiful to begin with? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by discussing the four primary ways that infrastructure…
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Ep. 82: Disney Adults w/ Tiffany Wright [EXTENDED TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration This week’s episode attempts to address how and why many American cultural practices and institutions have been replaced by those of Disney adults. Nathan is joined by his friend Tiffany Wright, a Disney theme park...
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Ep. 81: Men's Fragrances
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan discuss all things men’s fragrances. They begin by weighing the reasons men typically wear fragrances (“sex sells,” general presentation) versus why they might not (fragrance sensitivity, “men should smell like men”). They then review...
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Ep. 80: Gorpcore
Gorpcore is a hiking-inspired aesthetic that was first identified in a 2017 article published in The Cut. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph begins by interviewing Nathan about his gorpcore-esque wardrobe. The boys then detail the various elements of the aesthetic (outerwear,...
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Ep. 79: Bohemianism [TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration This is the third and final installment of Silent Generation’s three part series on Bohemianism. In this week’s episode, Joseph and Nathan finally address the most popular definition of “bohemian”: the trope of the...
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Ep. 78: Krakow & Prague
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph interviews Nathan about his recent trip to Poland and the Czech Republic. He recaps his travels to Gdansk, Warsaw, Krakow, and Prague. Amongst other things he discusses how Gdansk was once a city-state known as the Free City of Danzig, how...
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Ep. 77: Manouche Jazz w/ Significant Lovers
Manouche jazz is a musical genre (or musical idiom) pioneered by Django Reinhardt, a French-Romani jazz guitarist and composer who lived from 1910 to 1953. He developed manouche jazz in collaboration with Stéphane Grappelli after being inspired by American jazz musicians, and the genre is notable...
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Ep. 76: Malls [EXTENDED TEASER]
Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan discuss one of the biggest culprits of car-oriented development in the mid-20th century: malls. The boys begin by surveying several malls in Chicago (900 N....
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Ep. 75: Beachwear
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan detail all of the garments men wear to the beach and the various ways they make men look attractive. They begin with beachwear bottoms (speedos, jammers, box leg trunks, swim trunks, boardshorts), before discussing tops (tank tops,...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Silent Generation is a Chicago-based cultural analysis podcast that surveys the cultural consequences of car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. It explores what was lost between the Silent Generation and Generation Z. Topics discussed include aesthetics, fashion, history, and urbanism.Find us on Instagram: silent.generation
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Silent Generation
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Silent Generation have?
Silent Generation currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Silent Generation about?
Silent Generation is a Chicago-based cultural analysis podcast that surveys the cultural consequences of car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. It explores what was lost between the Silent Generation and Generation Z. Topics discussed include aesthetics, fashion, history, and...
How often does Silent Generation release new episodes?
Silent Generation publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Silent Generation?
You can listen to Silent Generation on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Silent Generation?
Silent Generation is created and hosted by Silent Generation.
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