Silent Generation

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 had a healthy degree of skepticism and preferred home-cooked food. Joseph uttered the phrase “reject your parents, embrace your grandparents.” I quickly realized that the generation he advocated embracing was the Silent Generation, and the term began buzzing in my head. I had only known Joseph for a couple of months at that point, but we had amazing conversational chemistry and kept discovering that we admired many of the same things: public transit, cities, architecture, menswear, and aesthetics. He was even wearing his Crystal Castles long sleeve tee that night at Podlasie Club, which ended up being the third topic we did together and our all time most downloaded episode. I asked him to start the podcast with me after I realized that the worldview we shared was something that needed to be disseminated and preserved. The Silent Generation worldview is one that is predicated on decline. If you look at the health of American cities compared to 100 years ago, you will find that the reliability of public transit systems, walkability of neighborhoods, vibrancy of downtowns, and quality of architecture have all diminished over the last century. Cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and St. Louis saw their populations fall by more than half. While Chicago has fared better than much of the rest of the Midwest, we are still in many ways a shadow of our former self, having lost a million people from our peak in 1950. This decline can be attributed to car-oriented development in the mid-20th century. Urban neighborhoods were razed for the construction of interstate highways, and suburban lifestyles became synonymous with the American way of life. Prior urbanists have already elucidated how car-oriented lifestyles lead to lower life expectancies, decreased financial stability, and atomization. But Silent Generation is amongst the first projects to explore the cultural effects of suburbanization, to look at the cultural practices of prior generations and examine what has been lost through the lens of urbanism. As a podcast, we aim to not only identify what has been lost since the mid-century, but to offer solutions in the present day: subcultures, secular social movements, and moral codes. Each involves the identification of values within oneself and a conscious effort to engage with the wider world. We aim to teach listeners to be citizens instead of consumers, and to value their communities as participants in public life. Silent Generation has now reached 100 episodes, but there is still more to explore. Links: Silent Generation Zine Vol. 1 Silent Generation Podcast Listener Submission Form Artwork: Designed by Nathan Recorded on 4/2/2026

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 and his involvement with early internet aesthetics as a whole. They ask him about what his Myspace page looked like, how he got to know Zombelle, and how the music video for Goth Star got filmed. The episode concludes with a discussion of Pictureplane’s most recent album, Sex Distortion. Links: Pictureplane - Instagram Page https://pictureplane.bandcamp.com/ https://shop.alienbody.com/ Real Is A Feeling by Pictureplane Gothstar by Pictureplane Glowing Wounds by Pictureplane Sex Distortion (Spectral Passion) by Pictureplane Heaven is a State of Mind by Pictureplane RE/Search Publications Industrial Culture Handbook Runaway Today Bukake is a Feeling by Zombelle 2011 Chicago Tumblr basement photo greeknewmediashit Photorhabdus luminescens (Angel’s glow) Artwork: Pictureplane on His Haunting New Album and His Favorite Horror Imagery by Tobias Carroll Recorded on 1/7/2026

“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 alternative staples like hair dye, piercings, and tattoos. Nathan and Sebastien start out by discussing traditional rockabilly music that was popularized by the likes of Elvis Presley, Janis Martin, and Wanda Jackson. The two then theorize why people are drawn to the rockabilly subculture and identify what characteristics they share. They then detail rockabilly fashion before concluding with a discussion about rockabilly values and whether or not those values still feel transgressive. Links: Rockabillies Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/rockabillies/ The Best of Rockabilly Playlist Bang Bang by Janis Martin Fujiyama Mama by Wanda Jackson Rockabilly - Aesthetics Wiki Page Rockabilly resurgence: A rocking revival in the 90s by 034zakia.bessaa2008 What Is Rockabilly Style? Everything You Wanted To Know by Bonnie It's a Rockabilly World (2016) Guys Episode 37 - Rockabilly Guys with Brace Belden Reviving the 1950s - Exploring Tokyo’s Rockabilly Culture by Melanie Gelo Nothing to Worry About by Peter Bjorn and John Viva Las Vegas VLV 25 Car Show LisaTV @ the Rockabilly Convention Rockabilly Duo: Your Scene Sucks Child of Rockabilly Couple Constantly Wondering What the Fuck Is Going On by Keith Buckley Drake Bell Made a Rockabilly Album? r/Rockabilly Is Rockabilly alive and well or is it a dying culture? ”Rockabilly” on Google Trends Ep. 68: Historical Dressing & Reenactment Artwork: Rockabilly women, featuring Sailor Jassie Recorded on 3/23/2026

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 Modernism, but what makes it so popular? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by charting Art Deco’s emergence in France to its eventual dissemination at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris. They then detail two Art Deco skyscrapers (the Carbide & Carbon Building and the Guardian Building) before delving into a conversation about Art Deco and American identity. The episode rounds out with an analysis of Art Deco in three pieces of media: Bioshock (2007), Nightmare Alley (2021), and Metropolis (1927). Links: Art Deco Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/art-deco/ Art Deco of the 20s and 30s by Bevis Hillier (1968) Art Deco Architecture: Everything You Need to Know as the Style Turns 100 by By Katherine McLaughlin and Elizabeth Stamp Art Deco: Everything You Wanted to Know Ep. 110: Consumer Aesthetics Research Podcast w/ Evan Collins A History - Vienna Secession Secession Building Stoclet Palace Carbide and Carbon Building The History of The Guardian Building: An Art Deco Landmark Lobby murals at Buffalo City Hall Sen̓áḵw Bioshock (2007) Nightmare Alley (2021) Metropolis (1927) North & Pulaski Artwork: The "Spirit of Light" sculpture on the Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse, NY Recorded on 3/16/2026

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 status and examine two in depth: the Monadnock Building and the Auditorium Building. The episode also traces the life of Louis Sullivan, whose tripartite theory shaped skyscraper design for generations. Finally, they examine several early skyscrapers in Sebastien’s hometown of Buffalo, New York (the Guaranty Building, the Ellicott Square Building, and the Dun Building) before debating the extent to which skyscrapers are monuments to capital. Links: Skyscraper | Encyclopedia Britannica Early Chicago Skyscrapers (UNESCO) The Monadnock’s original Egyptian Revival facade The Chicago Auditorium, an Architectural Pride Center for New Deal Studies The World's Tallest buildings in 1930 It looks like a fairy tale city, perhaps the Emerald City or smth like that [Historical photo of the Chicago Loop] Artwork: Guaranty Building, 1895 Church and Pearl Streets, Buffalo (NY, USA). Dankmar Adler et Louis Sullivan, architectes. © Wayne Andrews / Esto Recorded on 3/2/2026

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 photography, and his interest in urbanism) before outlining the future of Silent Generation. Links: Sebastien’s Instagram sebastienbowen.com Artwork: Photographed by Katie Recorded on 3/2/2026

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 Brazier, Ferran Adria, Rene Redzepi, Joel Robuchon, and Gordon Ramsey) before discussing the pillars of fine dining. The two then detail the history of the Michelin Guide before reflecting on their recent dining experience at a restaurant in Dallas that was awarded one Michelin star, Mamani. The episode concludes with a discussion about where they want to see fine dining go moving forward. Links: Origins of the Restaurant Boulanger and the restaurant: the snowballing of a myth Eugénie Brazier: The legendary 'mother of French cuisine' by Anna Richards Bazaar Classics: Liquid Olives What Is Molecular Gastronomy!? The MICHELIN Guide 101 What Is The MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Award? Eating at Alinea. Chicago. 3 Michelin Stars. An Amazing 9 Course $345 Tasting Menu Culinary Theatre at Alinea in Chicago | World's Best Restaurants | Our Taste Chef’s Table - Season 2 Episode 1 (2016) Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) American Psycho, Fine Dining, and Scams VSauce - Molecular Gastronomy Artwork: Etrusca restaurant in San Francisco from Restaurants in California (Restaurant Design 3) (1993) Recorded on 2/15/2026

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 hour, place settings, multiple course meals, and after-dinner entertainment) before detailing how they have changed over time. Amongst other things they discuss how Emily Post and Martha Stewart presented competing visions of the high-effort dinner party, how the depreciation of dining-related antiques demonstrates the decline of dinner parties in America, and how modern dinner parties emphasize a relaxed approach that is best demonstrated by Allison Roman’s Nothing Fancy. Links: Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home by Emily Post How Dinner Parties Became the Fuzzy Blanket of Adulthood by Alissa Wilkinson The Dinners That Shaped History by Brenda Wineapple Eating Together : Food, Friendship and Inequality Alice P. Julier The Pleasure of Your Company (but No Gaucheries, Please!): Dinner Parties in 19th-Century America by mansionmusings Entirely Entertaining: Dishing Dinner Party Trends Through the Decades I Tracked Down The Company Ruining Restaurants The Art of Entertaining Why Dinner Parties Still Matter Entertaining by Martha Stewart Martha (2024) Martha Stewart wheelbarrow clip The Exterminating Angel (1962) The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Why the dinner party is a declining art by Harmeet Kaur Politics on the menu in Seoul as Donald Trump dines on shrimp from disputed waters and 360-year-old soy sauce by Nicola Smith Cameron praises Obama at lavish state dinner by Mark Madell Presidents at State Dinners: A Historical Overview Nothing Fancy by Allison Roman Alison Roman’s “Nothing Fancy” and the Art of the Unpretentious Dinner Party by Michele Moses With 'Nothing Fancy,' Alison Roman Aims To Rebrand Having People Over For Dinner by Wynne Davis Artwork: Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton (and others) at a party given for Rudolph Valentino Recorded on 02/08/2026

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 aesthetic in this week’s episode of Silent Generation, from its murky origins in ‘60s/‘70s British animation to its eventual identification by CARI in 2017. They discuss how Twee is the “girl version” of Soft Colonial Wanderlust, how hand-colored photographs serve as the foundation for the aesthetic’s color scheme, and how Soft Colonial Wanderlust differentiates itself from Steampunk by eschewing digital technology. Links: Soft Colonial Wanderlust Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/soft-colonial-wanderlust/ Soft Colonial Wanderlust CARI Page Soft Colonial Wanderlust Aesthetics Wiki Page What is Soft Colonialist Wanderlust? Facebook Group Soft Colonialist Wanderlust Are.na Page https://anemptyblissbeyondthisworld.neocities.org/CARI/soft-colonial The surprising evolution of hipsters in the 2000s The Mysterious Geographic Explorations Of Jasper Morello Artwork: Hendrick's Gin "Escape" Recorded on 01/31/2026

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 what lenses she uses for cultural analysis) before outlining the future of Silent Generation. Links: Breanna’s Instagram Labyrinth of Art Breanna’s TikTok Breanna’s Letterboxd Artwork: Photograph by Studio Solaire Recorded on 01/31/2026

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 contributors, and that a Discord member named Juniper is going to make a commemorative zine for the first iteration of the podcast. Links: Nathan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathan_knize/ Silent Generation’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silent.generation/ Recorded on 12/3/2025

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 the world. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, she joins Nathan for a conversation about why she and other creatives aspire to live bicoastal lifestyles. They begin with a conversation about the pros and cons of New York City and Los Angeles, focusing on key geographic and cultural differences. Nathan then argues that the rise of bicoastal living represents the latest stage in the elite’s drift toward rootlessness and cosmopolitanism, a pattern described by Christopher Lasch in The Revolt of the Elites. The episode concludes with a discussion about whether having roots (and not being bicoastal) is a status symbol and the common traits shared by big city natives. Links: @nevadastyles - Instagram Profile https://www.nevadaraffaele.com/ New Data Tool and Research Show Where People Move as Young Adults by Nathaniel Hendren, Sonya R. Porter and Ben Sprung-Keyser The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan The Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch The messy, viral fight over America's fourth 'major' city by Tessa Mclean What are the 4 major US cities? The internet can't decide. Vote for your picks by Melina Khan Artwork: New York 1971 by Hans-Peter Balfanz CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Boyle Heights, 1979 by John Humble Recorded on 11/19/2025

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 grew older, and older listeners found their sounds more palatable. But what does “adult contemporary” mean, and why do the songs that get grouped into the category appeal to adults so much? This week’s episode of Silent Generation focuses on adult contemporary music in the 1990s and 2000s. Joseph and Nathan begin by outlining the history of the radio format before discussing the common features of adult contemporary songs. They then review the music of U2, Vanessa Carlton, The Verve, Zero 7, Ivy, and After. The episode concludes with a discussion of what happened to adult contemporary, focusing on why the radio format no longer has a distinct sound. Links: Adult Contemporary Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/… Adult Contemporary Music Guide: What Is Adult Contemporary? The Adult Contemporary Billboard Chart When Rock Bands Become Adult Contemporary (part 1) by Eduard Banulescu 90s Adult Contemporary - Totally 80s and 90s Recall Clocks by Coldplay Beautiful Day by U2 A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve Destiny by Zero 7 Disappointed by Ivy Deep Diving by After Most craziest American Idol contestant ever, Mary Roach U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere The Story of 'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton White Chicks (2004) - A Thousand Miles Terry Crews Scene The greatest songwriting theft of all time - David Hartly Ivy Talks Making the Seminal Y2K Dreampop LP ‘Long Distance’ by Myke Dodge Weiskopf Meet After, the L.A. Duo Making Y2k-Inspired Pop That Feels Like Right Now by Jeff Ihaza You’re deep diving - @aftertheband Gen X Soft Club - CARI page List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2025 Adult Contemporary 100 week of 11/09/2025 Where Have All the Adult Contemporary Artists Gone? - Daniel Montoya Jr. Artwork: U2 at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, Summer 2000 Recorded on 11/12/2025

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 first emerge, and why do universities continue to tolerate them on campus? This week’s episode of Silent Generation addresses those questions. The boys begin with a survey of the history of fraternities and related groups (social fraternities, professional organizations, secret societies, and fraternal orders). They then discuss commonalities between fraternities, the architectural characteristics of fraternity houses, the prevalence of hazing and hazing deaths, and the 1978 sex comedy Animal House. Links: Fraternity by Alexandra Robins The Founding of the North-American Fraternity and Sorority System Fraternity and Sorority Mies van der Rohe’s Forgotten Frat House Design Is Resurrected and Repurposed by Lauren Moya Ford The Sorority Quad at Northwestern University by Fran Becque Join HOTEL KAPPA for PC ‘25! - #RushTok IN DG WE TRUST: Empowering Community Engagement - #RushTok Lorax - #Sorority - #RushTok Mr. Bobinsky Halloween Costume Tik Tok Video It's Time for Congress to Ban Fraternities—Sororities, Too by Matt Robinson Here’s how much more money you could make just from joining a frat by Yoni Blumberg Why Colleges Tolerate Fraternities Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life (2024) My son was blindfolded, led to the basement and left to die on a couch by Ruth Bashinsky Animal House (1978) Gay History of Men’s Fraternities Image archive of the Theta Chi chapter at Penn State University Artwork: Theta Chi of Penn State - Spring 1988 Initiation Recorded on 11/5/2025

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 Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by theorizing that cryptozoology emerged as a way for the United States and other Anglosphere countries to generate their own folklore. They delineate why it is a primarily American phenomenon, pointing to the country's huge swaths of undeveloped land. They then discuss several famous cryptids such as Bigfoot, Mothman, the Michigan Dogman, the Flatwoods Monster, the Loch Ness Monster, and Thunderbirds. They conclude with a discussion of how paranormal media “slopified” cable television in the early 2010s, and how the rise of AI has made photo and video evidence of cryptids even less believable. Links: What is a cryptid? Cryptomundo The Cryptid Zoo: Satyrs (or Fauns) in Cryptozoology On the Track of Unknown Animals by Bernard Heuvelmans The Discovery of the Okapi, Part 1 Backwoods Horror The Maryland Snallygaster: Devil of Racist Politics by Jake Seboe The racist roots of Maryland’s mythical Snallygaster monster by Julie Scharper Patterson-Gimlin Film HD 60fps The Mothman Prophecies by John A. Keel The Mothman Revisited - Unsolved Mysteries Episode 14: Chicago Tales - Otherworld podcast Ep. 113: The Michigan Dogman Pt. 1 - Otherworld podcast Ep. 114: The Michigan Dogman Pt. 2 - Otherworld podcast #70: Flatwoods Monster - Cryptonauts podcast Flatwoods Monster - Cryptid Wiki The Flatwoods Monster The Cryptid Collector’s Trio Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster (2004) Thunderbird - Cryptid Wiki MonsterQuest (2007-2010) Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real (2004) The Truth is out there” the Alan Champagne Morro Bay Disappearance by Katya Cengel Artwork: unknown Recorded on 10/29/2025

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 blog Runawaytoday. They then talk about common witch house aesthetic elements such as horror, “the woods,” and occult symbols (particularly inverted crosses). The conversation then shifts to music, with a survey of several witch house bands such as SALEM, Pictureplane, CRIM3S, and Crystal Castles. The episode concludes with discussion of witch house’s legacy and what it was trying to express. Links: Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/witch-house/ witch-house.com Witch House - Aesthetics Wiki OG Witch House Spotify Playlist True Witch House Only Spotify Playlist Sick by SALEM Trapdoor by SALEM Better Off Alone by SALEM Goth Star by Picturplane Hyper Real by Picureplane Salt by CRIM3S Pumpkin Pumpkin by Zombelle Runawaytoday (2005) GODBLESS - Untitled (2008) by Ponyboy Guest List: Best of 2009 by Tyler Grisham Got any witch house? Why I'm on the genre-mongers' side | Music by Tom Ewing https://www.blairwitch.com/ Making of The Blair Witch Project— From a $35k Budget to $250 Million Box Office Phenomenon The surprising evolution of hipsters in the 2000s - Brad Troemel Alek Morgan’s Facebook page (NVRMND archive) Witch House Band Iceberg Infographic Witch House Music History Lana del Rey/ Jack Donoghue Cook County Penitentiary photo SALEM: The Midwest's Most Wanted (Documentary) This is the CRIM3S Biography Tik Tok video CRIM3S SQUATT RAVE @Rourotfan Rou Rot and Alice Glass MTV CRIBS: pictureplane gives a tour of Rhinoceropolis shout out to male producer female lead witch house duos Reddit post Witch House: The Ghostly Genre of The Music Industry by Clara C. Steemer Which house for witch house? Pictureplane’s goth beats are taking flight by P. J. Nutting Witch House: An Intro To The Microgenre That Influenced Everyone From Tyler, The Creator To ASAP Rocky by Kyle Garb The Occult Genre Known As "Witch House" - Pad Chennington Whatever happened to witch house? by Al Horner Artwork: Mexico City’s Dark Electronic Music Project Ritualz Releases Dual Video Premiere for “Nothing” and “Testify” by Alice Teeple Recorded on 10/22/2025

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 systems eventually became publicly run. But what made privately owned rail during that era so great, and what does modern private passenger service look like? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by detailing some of the things that were better about the Chicago ‘L’ 100 years ago: more stations, more express service, and better frequency. They then talk about Brightline and JR Railways before examining how those companies invest in real estate to increase profits. The episode concludes with a discussion about privately owned freight rail and how Class I railroads are poorly managed. Links: The Lost Subways of North America by Jake Berman New York Subway Operator Life 1980s vs 90s vs Today chicago-l.org Ridership Reports - Performance metrics - CTA Why Chicago's Express Train Isn't Really Express - Car Free Keith Car 553 First new private rail passenger service in over 100 years by Terry Spencer and Daniel Kozin Killer Train by Brittany Wallman, Aaron Leibowitz and Shradha Dinesh Killer Train Podcast Brightline rolls out expanded services from Orlando to Miami by Jaclyn Harold High Speed Rail in Florida and the History of Brightline - Alan Fisher Brightline West Las Vegas doesn't have a purpose anymore as the designated area for American vices How Japan Builds Suburbs That Don't Suck - Car Free Keith Why Japanese Railways Win - Wendover Productions Japan Kept A Train Running For Years Just For One Girl, The Inspiring Story Will Move You by Nikhil Pandey Should Amtrak be Privatized? by Car Free Keith Katrina: Come Hell or High Water Freight Rail Overview - US Department of Transportation How America's Largest Railroads are Ruining our Supply Chains - Alan Fisher US rail companies grant paid sick days after public pressure in win for unions by Steven Greenhouse Artwork: Jamaica Ave El Recorded on 10/12/2025

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.” The tendency of civil servants to live amongst each other has caused them to develop a distinct set of customs and norms that can be described as “civil servant culture.” On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by discussing whether civil servants constitute their own subculture or social class. They then talk about the symbols they use to identify one another such as thin line flags, punisher symbols, and regional accents. They then survey the areas that civil servants tend to cluster in Chicago (Beverly/ Mt. Greenwood, Garfield Ridge/ Clearing, and Norwood Park/ O’Hare) and NYC (Staten Island, Breezy Point), before concluding with a discussion on the differences between public facing and administrative civil servants. Links: Residency Requirements for City Employees by Connie M Hager Mayoral challenger outlines plan to ease police staffing shortage by Fran Spielman The thin blue line: The history behind the controversial police emblem by David Hernandez The Thin Blue Line (1988) Thin Line Flags Infographic First Responder American Flag, 3 x 5 Feet Man walking to every CPD station to raise awareness for police mental health The Punisher Skull - 99% Invisible Italian cop in NYC Infographic: Where Cubs and White Sox Fans Live City Active Employees: Map and Census Data Hey Jackass’s 2025 homicide map "Cop neighborhoods" in NYC? Why is there no outrage over the Breezy Point Cooperative? Burn After Reading (2008) Toward a Theory of Street-Level Bureaucracy by Michael Lipsky Bangladeshis Build Careers in New York Traffic by Jodi Kantor How Stereotypes of the Irish Evolved From ‘Criminals’ to Cops by Livia Gershon Cops Rarely Pull Over Drivers In Their Own Neighborhoods, Data Shows. Motorists In Black Neighborhoods Aren’t So Lucky by Pascal Sabin Chicago’s first firefighters entrance exam since 2014 draws diverse pool, but rules have changed by Fran Spielman Artwork: ThrowbackThursday: Weekly Garbage Service - Eltham District Historical Society Recorded on 10/5/2025

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 “corporate subculture” to come out of Wall Street, but they are far less fashionable than previous corporate subcultures like Yuppies. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by delineating the elements of finance bro fashion before speculating where trends in casualization might lead things. They then note that “quants” (quantitative analysts) have even lower professional standards for their appearance. Amongst other things they discuss how finance bro fashion began to bleed into politics in the 2020s, how finance bros fueled the “bowl slop” trend in fast casual dining, and how the vulgarity of Finance Bros was depicted on Succession. Links: Finance bros Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/finance-bros/ Midtownuniform Then and Now: Wall Street Power Dressing by Pierre Schermann/ WWD Fleece Is In Full Bloom by George Chinsee/ WWD The Patagonia vest endures in San Francisco tech circles, despite ridicule by Bobby Allyn Patagonia Is Refusing To Sell Its Iconic Power Vests To Some Financial Firms by Katie Notopoulos Four lads in jeans meme “Deal Sleds” wtf is a “Quant”... (finance bro + autism) The House Painters by Gustave Caillebotte Who wears the power sweater vest better? Democrats or Republicans? by Marni Pyke Alpha Dads at their Son’s Game Alpha Dads at the Hardware Store "Be white collar, the money is insane" meme ‘Chipotle boys’ are rampant in NYC — and even the burrito chain has commented by Brooke Steinberg Chipotle Boy Bowl' Promo Is Aimed at Finance Bros - Business Insider by Dominick Reuter Why fast casual chains like Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and Cava are losing their freshness by Dominick Reuter The Executive Coloring Book Every Finance Bro Artwork: #Finnhall Recorded on 9/22/2025

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, scout leaders, teachers, and bosses. The boys also note that children sometimes latch onto “parasocial father figures” like Mr. Rogers and Hank Hill in the absence of real-life ones. They then share observations about “daddy issues” (the negative traits that emerge in the absence of father figures) before deliberating whether daddy issues and mommy issues can arise independently of one another. Links: "Friendly Guy in a Pub" starter pack meme Sweet middle aged vietnamese ladies calling their customers handsome boy meme Various memes about the lunch lady calling you sugar Look Me In The Eyes (Air Jordan ad) The Joy of Six: US athletes' pushy parents by Les Carpenter The Slap (2011) Japanese adult adoption Best of Jenelle & Barbara (Part 1) | Teen Mom 2 The Jenelle Evans Dating Timeline - A Visual Guide Big Brother Big Sisters of America - History That Spans More Than A Century The Making of a Misogynist: How Andrew Tate inherited his father's toxic beliefs by Claudia Cockerell Artwork: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/417990409147457395/ Recorded on 9/14/2025

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 what constitutes rest stops (fast food chains, gas stations, motels, and plentiful car-oriented infrastructure) before surveying their aesthetics. Amongst other things they discuss how the history of rest areas differs from that of service areas, how America’s first transcontinental highway (the Lincoln Highway) was financed through private sources, how Buc-ee’s lures in customers with spacious and clean restrooms, and how Eden, Idaho is home to a spectacular Garden of Eden themed rest stop. Links: Madeline Rupard - Instagram Page Luxurydeptstore - Instagram Page https://www.madelinerupard.com/ Passages / Madeline Rupard An Interview With Madeline Rupard The sky at grocery stores meme The European mind can’t comprehend this meme The Real-Life Places Along Route 66 that Inspired Cars Before Route 66: The Story of America’s First Highway restareahistory.org Daniel Everett - Instagram Page What Internet Memes Get Wrong About Breezewood, Pennsylvania by Amanda Kolson Hurley Breezewood, Pennsylvania Is Not What You Think It Is by Classy Whale A “lost” photo set of sorts… Traveler’s Oasis “Garden of Eatin’” in Eden, Idaho The Store (1983) Nonstandard - A Documentary (2025) Why our buildings lost their soul by Pearlmania500 Artwork: Photograph provided by Madeline Rupard Recorded on 8/30/2025

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 achieves beauty: engineering and design, paint, public art, and disguise (as is the case with stealth towers). Amongst other things they discuss how it is cringe when infrastructure is made to look like public art, how redesigned streets with painted bike/ bus lanes are a rare instance of society becoming more colorful, how many people assume that hostile design choices that impact homeless people are aesthetic ones, and how infrastructure built by the Works Progress Administration incorporated ornamentation and vernacular architectural traditions. Links: Around the Antenna Tree by Lisa Parks A Prehistory of the Cloud by Tung-Hui Hu How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World by Deb Chachra Rust: The Longest War by Johnathan Waldman The Danger of Minimalist Design A Visual History of the British Telephone Box by Nick Sturgess The Hand by Jiří Trnka Places & Traces 'Ridiculous' Blue Seats Face Buildings, Don't Attract Shoppers, Critics Say by Mina Bloom Ampelmännchen Hall of Waters Artwork: Glenn Jackson Bridge aerial Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Recorded on 8/24/2025

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 aficionado with a deep knowledge of the community, to discuss the topic. They begin by defining “Disney adult” and note their psychological motivations. They then survey several Disney resorts (Disneyland, Disney World, and Disneyland Abu Dhabi) and popular Disney influencers like Dear and Darling. Amongst other things they discuss Disney adult critiques and defenses, the enduring relevance of Mickey Mouse in fashion, and the phenomenon of adult infantilization more broadly through Funko Pops and Labububus. Links: Tiffany Wright - Instagram page Tiffany’s Disney adult Halloween costume Disney Adults: Exploring (and Falling in Love With) a Magical Subculture by AJ Wolfe The ‘Disney Adult’ Industrial Complex by Amelia Tait Three Maligned Modern Tourists Defend Themselves by Amelia Tait How ‘Disney Adults’ Became the Most Hated Group on the Internet by EJ Dickson Don’t Judge Disney Adults. Try to Understand Them by Jodi Eichler-Levine What Exactly Is the Magic of Disney World? by Kathryn Jezer-Morton K-HOLE #5: A Report on Doubt Disney’s FastPass: A Complicated History - Defunctland A Deep Dive Into Disney Adults - Kurtis Connor Disney Adult (Urban Dictionary definition) Grown woman who cried upon meeting Goofy Tik Tok video The Segregation of Social Desire: “Religion” and Disney World by William Arnal Disneyland Abu Dhabi Would 'Never Work' Outdoors Says Park Boss by Caroline Reid Dear and Darling Dear and Darling Pluto story Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing Pokemon scalper cleans out entire shelf of destined rivals etb in front of kid Once Upon A Time: The Pop Culture Impact of Mickey Mouse Watches by Rhonda Riche The enduring appeal of Mickey Mouse: Why the fashion industry is still interested by Anya Georgijevic Disney adults when they're not at Disney? Artwork: Britney Spears Once Went On an INSANE Disney World Shopping Spree by Alessia Dunn Recorded on 8/17/2025

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 several fragrances: Dior Sauvage, Bleu de Chanel, Paco Rabanne Phantom, 4711 Original Eau de Cologne, Greenbriar by Caswell Massey, Maii Bogue, Weekend for Men by Burberry, and Knize Ten. They round out the episode by discussing Jeremy Fragrance’s career as “the number one fragrance icon that follows the teachings of Jesus” before reflecting on the totemic qualities of fragrances. Links: Smellmaxxing Studio Ready Teen Spirit in Pink Crush Fragrance sensitivity: why perfumed products can cause profound health problems by Sirin Kale Last of the NYC Leathermen Fragrance Concentration Guide Everything You Need To Know About Fragrance Concentration Levels - EDT, EDP, Parfum, & MORE Official cologne flowchart of the 4chan fragrance board Fragrance Groups 101 fragrantica.com Dior Sauvage - Fragrantica page Bleu de Chanel - Fragrantica page Paco Rabanne Phantom - Fragrantica page 4711 Original Eau de Cologne - Fragrantica page Greenbriar Caswell Massey - Fragrantica page Maai Bogue - Fragrantica page Weekend for Men Burberry - Fragrantica page Knize Ten - Fragrantica page Dior Sauvage in 2015 according to The History of the Hero: Dior Sauvage by Sarah Karmali I Wore The World's Oldest Cologne For a Week Bogue Profumo Maai: Valkyrie Chypres & Vintage Animalism Knize Ten - A Masterpiece from 1925 Kniže & Co.: A First-Hand Look at Vienna’s Most Storied Tailor by Sven Raphael Schneider Jeremy Fragrance: The Smell of Success Jeremyfragrance - Tik Tok page How Abercrombie, Victoria’s Secret and Vitamin Shoppe use smell to get you to spend more Say Goodbye To The Scent Of Fierce In Abercrombie & Fitch Stores by Christopher Luu Subway: What the Hell Is That Smell? by Joel Burrows The Woman Who Wants to Give Birth to a Shark by Nikhil Roy Gabriel O’Hara (niche fragrance brand inspired by Chicago streets) Artwork: Knize Ten Eau de Toilette Recorded on 8/11/2025

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, technical fabrics, face concealment, and high definition landscapes) before introducing a vintage sub-aesthetic they call “lindy gorpcore.” Towards the later half of the episode they discuss Death Stranding 1 and its recent sequel Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which are standout examples of the gorpcore aesthetic in gaming. Links: Gorpcore Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/gorpcore/ Lindy Gorpcore Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/lindy-gorpcore/ r/Gorpcore A Guide To: Gorpcore Everything to Know About Gorpcore, the Outdoorsy Trend Celebs Love The Origins of GORP by Ashley Brown First Came Normcore. Now Get Ready for Gorpcore by Jason Chen Rihanna Lookin' like a Pokemon gym leader meme pride month outfit meme Gorpworld - Instagram page Gorpcore.jpeg - Instagram page Gorpcore.world - Instagram page Outdoorrecarchive - Instagram page Presta94 - Instagram page Dimi_tt7 - Instagram page The Story of Fleece by Rachel G Clark The Darkside of Gorpcore by Wrong Trousers Oze’s Mighty Bokka Porters Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness by Ralph Check Out This Sick $1700 Death Stranding 2 Jacket You’ll Never Get by Alyssa Mercante Death Stranding 2 Photo Session with Fragile, Tomorrow and Rainy Artwork: Source unknown Recorded on 8/2/2025

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 impoverished artist living on the fringes of society. They detail how the combined impacts of the French and Industrial Revolutions caused bohemians to first emerge in Paris during the 1830s, and how the cultural figure was defined and popularized by Henri Murger’s Scenes of Bohemian Life and Giacamo Puccini’s La Bohème. They conclude by discussing other 19th century cultural figures (flaneurs, dandies), the movie Moulin Rouge!, and boho-chic fashion. Links: Scenes of Bohemian Life by Henri Murger La bohème by Giacomo Puccini Bohemians: A Very Short Introduction by David Weir Bohemians: The Glamorous Outcasts by Elizabeth Wilson Bohemianism - In Our Time (BBC) Cross-section of a Parisian house in the 1850s Mexico City Gentrification Towertown: LOST COMMUNITIES OF CHICAGO Nabe ni Dangan wo Ukenagara (manga that features Chicago) “Water only” family Tik Tok Labelle - Lady Marmalade Bo-ho Chic/ Whimsicraft Designs from Bohemian Style (1999) Decorating Cents worst designs Tik Tok Artwork: Photos of Bohemian Partiers in New York’s Greenwich Village, 1910-1920 Recorded on 7/28/2025

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 Warsaw’s Museum of Communism is above a KFC, how one of Krakow’s largest tourist attractions is a salt mine in the town of Wieliczka, and how Prague is home to the largest European castle still in use. This is the second installment of a four part series that explores the cultural figure of the Bohemian and its origins. This segment briefly explains how “Bohemia” is a region and kingdom that is now part of the modern day Czech Republic. Links: Prague is a Parody of Europe Artwork: Exploring Prague in May, 1991 Recorded on 7/13/2025

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 for its percussive guitars, virtuosic lead guitarists, and reliance on acoustic instruments. Joseph and Nathan are joined by Kelly from the Significant Lovers podcast to discuss the genre. This is the first installment of a four part series that explores the cultural figure of the Bohemian and its origins. The French believed that the Romani people came from Bohemia when they first arrived in their country, and the term “Bohemian” meant “Romani” for several centuries. “Bohemian” came to be associated with all of the stereotypes of the Romani people (positive and negative) before coming to only be associated with positive Romani stereotypes by the end of the 20th century: artsy, creative, free-spirited, and prone to wanderlust. Links: Significant Lovers Spotify Significant Lovers Instagram Manouche Jazz Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5yZf7mGsSpZteSa41sUD84?si=0da77b26e481443c Rendezvous A Paris (Starbucks) playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Z8SiyBtkpaHaB3LFHC9wf?si=4de387e2bb20429e Gypsy Jazz: in Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing by Michael Dregni #8 Michael Dregni - The Life and Times of Django Reinhardt Stéphane Grappelli - His Life and Legacy: Part One. Gypsy Jazz Violinist with/after Django Reinhardt Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd Bohemianism - In Our Time (BBC) Artwork: Django Reinhardt Recorded on 6/29/2025

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. Michigan, The Water Tower Place, Block 37, and Ford City Mall) before delving into the largest malls in the country (Mall of America, American Dream Mall, and King of Prussia Mall). They then discuss a multitude of mall brands, noting the mall goth feedback loop generated by Hot Topic and the toxicity of Bath and Body Works. They conclude by discussing the urbanist critique of malls and what should be done with dying ones. Links: The Economics and Nostalgia of Dead Malls by Nelson D. Schwartz The Great American Shopping Mall: Past, Present, and Future by Spencer Li The Perfectly Optimized Building for Late Capitalism - Stewart Hicks Opening of Minnesota's Southdale Center 99 Percent Invisible: Meet me by the fountain How Malls Are Evolving In The U.S What Is a Class A Mall? Why Restaurants Have Become So Important To Shopping Malls Water Tower Place ‘Past Its Prime’ As A Mall — But Mag Mile Recovery In Full Swing, Backers Say by Melody Mercado The Only Thing To Do in a Dying Mall by Edward Robert McClelland What is The Metropolitan? What to know about the new urban village in Phoenix by Taylor Seely Meet the ‘Queen Spinner of Shell Shock,’ a local celebrity at MOA by Nicole Ki Spencer’s Gifts existed back in the ‘40s as a mail order catalog that sold donkeys Yankee Candles Levels of Abstraction Mall Chicken Made Me Feel More American by Su Jit-Lin Luxurydeptstore Instagram account The Great Places Erased by Suburbia - Notjustbikes What We Should (Actually) Do with Dying Malls - Chuck from Strong Towns Artwork: 1990s aerial photo of Glendale Galleria and pre-Americana Recorded on 6/22/2025

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, Hawaiian shirts, button downs, Italian knits), and accessories (straw hats, sandals, dive watches). Afterward, the boys examine how the version of preppy style common in coastal Southern states naturally resembles beachwear, citing the Ratliffs from the most recent season of The White Lotus as their primary example. They then discuss beachwear in additional TV shows and movies (The Beach, Seinfeld, and Magnum PI) before concluding with an exposé on shirtlessness. Links: Beachwear Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/beachwear/ Bitches from Wisconsin be like BEACH DAY meme Bitches from Chicago be like BEACH DAY meme Milverine A cool guide about swimwear color safety Interview: The Designers of Chubbies Shorts by Geoffrey Brown Men's Swimwear Guide - Bathing Suits for Gentlemen: Trunks, Briefs & Speedos 1970’s Men’s Swimwear Tik Tok video Macy's Beachwear June 2025 - Chicago, IL You can’t arrest me my dad is a lawyer meme Mike White Teases Location For Season 4 Of ‘The White Lotus’ by Peter White The White Lotus Costume Designer Alex Bovaird on Season 3's Designer-Loving Blondes, the Catalog-Worthy Ratliffs, and Chelsea's DIY Expat Style - Who What Wear Podcast BONUS: Alex Bovaird Returns! The White Lotus Costume Designer on Every Fashion Easter Egg in Season 3 and the Impact of Her Costumes - Who What Wear Podcast Duvin Design Vacation Brand Sunscreen Orlebar Brown Frescobol Carioca Chubbies Artwork: Surfers Recorded on 6/15/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration “Gayborhoods” (also known as gay villages) are gay neighborhoods that emerged in the United States at the end of World War II. Returning soldiers were sent home to port cities like New York City and San Francisco, and the sudden influx of gay veterans in those places caused a profusion of gay bars to appear. But how did clusters of LGBT nightlife venues come to gain official recognition as neighborhoods? On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by detailing how Boystown in Chicago came to be the first officially recognized gayborhood in the country. They then survey gayborhoods in several other cities (Milwaukee, New York City, and San Francisco) before debating the pros and cons of living in gayborhoods in the modern era. Links: From Antarctica with Love by Allegra Rosenberg Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement The new LGBT neighborhood: Everywhere Searching for the Last Lesbian Bars in America Why Do Lesbian Bars Keep Disappearing? by Stef Rubino What should a gay district look like in Detroit? Survey seeks input by Micah Walker A Tavern On (Almost) Every Corner: Why Did So Many Chicago Bars Disappear? by Jake Smith Making Chicago’s Boystown by Steven Jackson and Jason Nargis Boytown: How Chicago Got its Gay Neighborhood The History of Boystown's Rainbow Pylons Decoplex - CARI Aesthetic Labor Dispute Closes Berlin, the Beloved Chicago Gay Bar by Emily Schmall Resistance Remains in Renaming of Chicago’s ‘Boystown’ Neighborhood to ‘Northalsted’ by Miguel Johnson Berlin Nightclub Workers Call For Boycott As They Fight For Contract by Amber Stoutenborough Berlin nightclub union demands OUTgoing: Mapping the Hidden History of New York’s Gay Nightlife by Jeff Ferzoco Photograph of the gay village in Manchester in 1995 The Simpson’s gay pride parade scene Women & Women First book store SoDoSoPa Artwork: Gilbert Baker & “Raise the Rainbow” Workshop Recorded on 6/1/2025

Normcore is a “a post-authenticity coolness that opts into sameness.” The term was first coined by the trend forecasting group K-HOLE in their 2013 report Youth Mode: A Report on Freedom, which was a larger philosophical deliberation on the degree to which people should remain alternative into adulthood. This week’s episode of Silent Generation focuses on how the fashion world’s misclassification of normcore as an aesthetic caused internet aesthetics to become less subculture-oriented after the mid-2010s. Nathan and Solana begin by discussing the history of internet aesthetics by breaking them down into four categories and three periods: consumer aesthetics, early internet subcultures (2009-2014), Vaporwave-inspired aesthetics (2014-2020), and Tik Tok aesthetics (2020-2025). They then discuss the true meaning of K-HOLE’s report and question what normcore fashion conceptually looked like. They round out the episode by recapping the reasons why normcore killed off the subculture component of internet aesthetics: aesthetics could now be vibes or metaphysical concepts, aesthetics became a formula that could be capitalized off of by brands, and internet aesthetics became more fashion-centric. Links: Youth Mode: A Report on Freedom Normcore: Fashion for Those Who Realize They’re One in 7 Billion by Fiona Duncan Normcore: Fashion Movement or Massive In-Joke? by Alex Williams Normcore Never Died. It Just Got More Expensive by Vanessa Friedman Normcore Was Always A Misunderstood Fantasy by Delia Cai ASOS: What is Normcore/90s Normal? ASOS explains... Gap’s Dress Normal Campaign Isn’t Working Because Normal People Don’t Want to Be Normal by Rachel Raczka Artwork: Seinfeld Recorded on 5/25/2025

Utopian Scholastic is an aesthetic that was popular in the education field from the late 1980s to early 2000s. It consists of stock image collage, early CGI, references to academia, references to surrealism, and serifed fonts. On this week’s episode, Joseph and Nathan go into a deep dive of Utopian Scholastic and begin by discussing how the aesthetic was first identified by someone inspired by the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute. They then theorize how factors like the echo boom, utopian beliefs about the internet, and the relative parity of traditional and digital mediums caused Utopian Scholastic to first emerge. Amongst other things they discuss how Frasurbane acts as a base for the aesthetic and how the Eyewitness TV show replicated the style of DK Eyewitness books. Links: Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/utopian-scholastic/ Utopian Scholastic CARI Page Utopian Scholastic Aesthetics Wiki Page Evan Collin’s Utopian Scholastic Are.Na Page The Most Overlooked Aesthetic : Utopian Scholastic by Kat Online Utopian Scholastic Designs from a Pre-9/11 World The post in Global Village Coffeehouse and Suze Huldt’s comments Peggy McNamara’s art website Ship With Butterfly Sails by Salvador Dali DK Eyewitness Intro The Making of Eyewitness Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair Artwork: The Arts in Education Poster Recorded on 5/18/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration On this week’s episode of Silent Generation the boys discuss what makes IKEA one of Joseph’s favorite companies. They begin by briefly summarizing how IKEA was founded by Swedish entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 before detailing the various innovations that made it successful (the showroom model, flat packing, and self-assembly). They then talk about how IKEA acts as a point of cross-cultural exchange between Sweden and the United States through its furniture and food products. Amongst other things they discuss how IKEA just released their largest premium collection ever and may be experiencing the effects of premiumization, how IKEA was a pioneer in using recycled materials but is still responsible for 1% of the world’s annual wood consumption, and how IKEA has eight categories of consumers that they cater to but most strongly appeals to people in their 20s. Links: Everyday Tastes from High-Brow to Low-Brow, 1949 Everyday Tastes from High-Brow to Low-Brow, Modern Interpretation Hacking IKEA - 99% Invisible IKEA - Acquired Podcast IKEA Museum House Perfect by Lauren Collins IKEA Invented "Eureka Spiritis" to Showcase Its Quality Furnishings by Laura McQuarrie At what age do people stop shopping at Ikea? by Zachary Crockett What's New at IKEA | IKEA's New LUXURY Collection! Why You Might Want To Throw Away Your Black Kitchen Utensils and Takeout Containers by Christine Byrne These Ugly Big Box Stores are Literally Bankrupting Cities - Not Just Bikes Artwork: IKEA Store in Yokohama, Japan Jmho, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Recorded on 5/12/2025

Scene is a youth subculture that evolved from emo in the mid to late 2000s. Members of the subculture were typically referred to as “scene kids”, but scene kids with large online followings were also referred to as “scene queens” or “scene kings.” On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by sharing their theory that scene spread in a diffuse manner throughout exurbia (particularly in the Sun Belt) due to early social media sites like Myspace. They then detail the elements of scene fashion (brightly colored hair, heavy eyeliner, skinny jeans, band tees, kandi bracelets, and cartoon characters) before examining notable scene queens like Kiki Kannibal, Ambrehhh Is Dead, and Vanna Venom. Amongst other things they discuss how scene kids would act performatively hyper in the way that emo kids would act performatively sad, how Warped Tour’s lineup reflected the wide range of musical genres scene kids liked (metal, EDM, crunkcore), and how modern Zoomers and TikTok influencers have reinterpreted scene through scenecore. Links: Scene Kids Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/scene-kids/ “Scene Kids” on Google Trends From Hardcore to Harajuku: The Origins of Scene Subculture by Ethan Stewart The comprehensive guide to scene culture (from a former scene kid) // video essay by Saoirse The Scene Queens Of Myspace: Web’s First Ever Stars (2000s Guide) by Vitalyspace everyday hair&makeup routine by Ambrehhh Is Dead Kiki Kannibal: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Sabrina Rubin Erdely Kiki Kannibal’s necklaces Scene Wolf - Know Your Meme Scene Nostalgia/ fuckyeah2012 From a real 2000-2010s former scene girl.. (w/ proof pix and playlist - Reddit post Freaxx - brokeNCYDE Alcohol - Millionaires 23 Former Scene Kids From The '00s Who Glowed The Heck Up by Anna Kopsky How zoomers think skinny jeans look vs. how millennials think skinny jeans look Artwork: Ambrehhh Is Dead Recorded on 5/5/2025

Vernacular architecture is architecture that uses local materials and traditional techniques to construct buildings without the guidance of licensed architects. It is surprisingly common in the United States despite the country's young age, including in cities like Chicago. This week the boys are joined by Will Quam, the founder of walking tour company Brick of Chicago, to discuss Chicago's rich vernacular traditions and building types. Amongst other things they discuss how the Great Chicago Fire led to the proliferation of brick architecture throughout the city, how Chicago produced over a billion common bricks per year at the peak of brick production, how many of the city's two and three flats were built using "plan books," and how the city has a "bungalow belt" of bungalow homes that were built in the 1920s. Links: Brick of Chicago website - https://www.brickofchicago.com/ Brick of Chicago - Instagram Page Architecture Without Architects by Rusofsky Bernard Vernacular Architecture by Henry Glassie Out of the Loop: Chicago Vernacular Architecture Forum Chicago Vernacular Architecture The Chicago Workers Cottage Initiative Are Two-Flats Only A Chicago Thing? Why These Uniquely Chicago Homes Have Thrived For A Century by Kelly Bauer How bungalow-y is the Bungalow Belt? by Daniel Kay Hertz After design competition, architect will get to build vision for new Chicago two-flat by Sara Freund Even the Moon Has a Dark Side: A Critical Look at Vernacular Architecture by Sanjoy Mazumdar Artwork: Provided by Will Quam 4/28/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Historical dressing refers to the act of wearing clothing that is authentic to a specific time period, while historical reenactment refers to the act of recreating past events (such as battles). These two overlapping activities and communities have much in common but are rarely analyzed together. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by considering the psychological motivations behind historical dressing and reenactment. They then detail the various types of historical reenactment, where to buy reenactment clothing and supplies, and why some people chose to wear historical clothing daily. Amongst other things they discuss how “farb” is used as a pejorative term to describe inauthentic reenactors, how tailors like The Progressive Tailor hand stitch their clothing, how Dandy Wellington popularized the phrase “vintage style, not vintage values,” and what the debate around vintage values in the community really means. Links: I was obsessed with the mid 19th century as kid Blunderyears post Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear by Paul Fussell The Grenadier Company The Grenadier Company’s crashing out Instagram post The Ragged Victorians – The Great Unwashed The Milwaukee Vintage Style Society Deer Hunting in the Oregon Cascades, circa 1925. The Progressive Tailor - Instagram Page The Progressive Tailor - Facebook Page Pinsent Tailoring - https://www.pinsenttailoring.co.uk/ Pinsent Tailoring - Instagram Page Dandy Wellington - Instagram Page Mistress Pennywhistle - Instagram Page What We Each Wear in a Week: 3 Daily Historical Fashion Wearers ‘I don’t see jeans in my future’: the people who wear complete historical dress – every day by Ammar Kali Victorian Era Couple Live Like It's The 19th Century Millennial Lives His Life In Victorian Era This woman lives every day like it’s 1958 This man lives every day like it's 1965 The Meaning of ‘Vintage Style, Not Vintage Values’ in the Modern Age by Lena Bramsen Fashion-focused Jan. 6 rioter who snapped selfies with Roger Stone and white supremacist arrested thanks to Instagram: Feds by Brandi Buchman Artwork: Farb Recorded on 4/22/2025

World’s fairs, now called World Expos, are large global expositions that exhibit the achievements of nations. They originally focused on industry and technology before shifting to a focus on cultural exchange and nation branding in the mid-20th century. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, the boys go into a deep dive of several notable world’s fairs including the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, The 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago, and the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City. They conclude the episode by talking about how and why the world’s fair has declined as a cultural institution. Amongst other things they discuss how the Ferris wheel was first invented for Chicago’s 1893 world’s fair, how the 1904 St. Louis world’s fair put over 1,000 Filipino people on display, how the Van Wyck Expressway was extended to provide access to the 1964 NYC world’s fair, and how the newest world’s fair just opened in Osaka, Japan this week. Links: What Was the Great Exhibition of 1851 by Steven Brindle Falsifying History by Destroying Cities - Stewart Hicks 1500 Buildings Built in 3 Years - Louisiana Purchase Exposition 1904 - Auto Didactic Long-delayed DiCaprio/Scorsese serial killer film Devil in the White City back on track by Andrew Pulver The 1964 World’s Fair (1996) OSAKA EXPO 2025! All To Know Before You Go! Ticket presales, pavilion completion slow 1 month before Osaka Expo Expo 2025 Osaka: 8 Must-See National Pavilions The Fall of The Fair by Harry Swartout Artwork: NY World's Fair 1964-1965 by PLCjr Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Recorded on 4/13/2025

Metrosexual is a term first coined by British journalist Mark Simpson in 1994. It is a portmanteau of the words “metropolitan” and “heterosexual,” and it describes straight men who care about their personal style in a similar manner to gay men. The term only entered mainstream discourse in 2002 after Simpson “outed” David Beckham as metrosexual in his Meet the Metrosexual article. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan compare and contrast the metrosexual with similar cultural figures like the flâneur and the Yuppie. Amongst other things they discuss how the 2003 series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy functioned as “metrosexuality: the reality TV show,” how there was a “retrosexual” backlash against metrosexuality towards the later half of the 2000s, and how we might be experiencing the fifth wave of the “men move to cities and become more stylish” phenomenon in the present day. Links: Here Come the Mirror Men: Why the future is metrosexual by Mark Simpson Meet the Metrosexual by Mark Simpson Metrodaddy Speaks by Mark Simpson Forget new man. Now you're hetero, retro or metro by Mark Simpson Who are you calling a metrosexual? Is it time to return to when 'men were men'? by Dave Besley Metrosexuals - A Documentary (2004) What Is a Metrosexual? The 2003 Trend That Came With the Success of ‘Queer Eye Are You a Heterosexual Male Diva? By David Crunk The Rise of the Brosexual by Megan Collins Discussing Menswear as a Woman by Ash Callaghan Artwork: AI generated Recorded on 3/30/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan examine all things related to air travel. They begin with a historical deep dive that breaks air travel down into six distinct eras: the invention of aviation, the first golden age, WWII, the jet age, deregulation after 1978, and the modern era. The boys then go in several anecdotal directions, reminiscing about the airlines of yesteryear (Pan Am and TWA) and the decline of in-flight service. Amongst other things they discuss how the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 caused airlines to begin competing on price instead of service, how Southwest recently got rid of their two free checked bags policy, how Pan Am used to serve passengers beluga caviar, and how the TWA Hotel in NYC gives modern people the opportunity to experience Jet Age luxury. Links: The Case For Santos Dumont The Wind Rises (2013) Airlines’ Secret Scheme to Keep Airfare Prices High Boeing: How much trouble is the company in? by Theo Leggett Passengers evacuate onto wing of American Airlines plane after engine catches fire at Denver airport by Pete Muntean and Alexandra Skores Fury as Southwest Airlines puts an end to one of its most popular perks by Ben Shimkus Goodbye to ‘bags fly free’ on Southwest Airlines, the last freebie in America by Leslie Joseph Matt Stoller: How To Fix The Airline Industry's Structural Problems The Rise And Fall Of Pan Am Come Fly With Me: The Story of Pan Am (2011, BBC Documentary) The meme about galas Joseph Meeting Griz from 30 Rock Joseph on a cargo plane Woman strips naked and walks screaming down the aisle on Southwest flight to Phoenix by Terry Dickerson Whitneylynn1 (Instagram Evangelist) You’re Crazy For Taking the Bus by Johnathan Richman Artwork: TWA Convair 880 Lounge Publicity Photo San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Recorded on 3/20/2025

Whimsicraft is an aesthetic that flourished from the mid 1980’s to the mid 1990’s that is composed of saturated colors, celestial symbols, heavy patterns, and handmade crafts. It describes “things you would see at an art fair in 1994” and it is “the aesthetic of the 'fun quirky artsy aunt' character in 90s media.” The aesthetic was first identified by Evan Collins, one of the founding members of the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute, who is the guest for this week’s episode. Joseph and Nathan begin by interviewing Evan about his history with CARI before diving into an exploration of Whimsicraft. Amongst other things they discuss how the art teacher depicted in Ghost World is emblematic of the wacky ‘90s art teacher trope, how the intro for the HBO kids Original series Crash Box demonstrates the darker found object subaesthetic of Whimsicraft, and how the Cows on Parade art event in the Summer of 1999 served as the culmination of the Whimsicraft ethos and aesthetic. Links: Whimsicraft Pinterest board: https://pin.it/2RP8NSgW3 Evan’s Whimsicraft Are.na: https://www.are.na/evan-collins-1522646491/whimsicraft Evan’s Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute Patreon page Evan’s Bluesky Whimsicraft CARI page Whimsigothic CARI page Whimsicraft by hellomynamesjon Whose art teacher died in Ohio? Mix It Up! All About Courtly Check from MacKenzie-Childs Victoria Mckenzie-Childs’ Youtube account Victoria MacKenzie-Childs shows her Kitchen Harriet The Spy (1996) wind chime garden scene Crashbox (1999) intro Cows On Parade Chicago 1999 Cows Milked for All Their Worth Artwork: Bazaar Bizzoso Entrance - Atlanta, GA (1993) Recorded on 3/9/2025

Cheerleader rock is a music genre that incorporates cheerleader chants, blaring electric guitars, and marching band instrumentals. It first emerged over two decades ago in the mid-2000s, but it was never identified as a trend or defined as a genre. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by friend of the pod Christine to discuss the two standout acts of this style (The Go! Team and Sleigh Bells) along with several musicians who have released cheerleader rock tracks (Toni Basil, Gwen Stefani, and Junior Varsity). Amongst other things they discuss how Nathan first discovered The Go! Team through a Cartoon Network advert, how Derek E. Miller envisioned Sleigh Bells as “‘Hollaback Girl’ with metal guitars,” and how Cross The Street by Junior Varsity mirrors Huddle Formation by The Go! Team. They round off the episode by talking about cheerleader fashion and cheerleader movies. Links: Nathan and Christine’s Cheerleader rock playlist The Go! Team Doc 2011 Interview: The Go! Team The Go! Team tell us about the influences behind new album 'Get Up Sequences' by Bill Pearis Cartoon Network Presents: The Go-Team (Short Version) Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror (Teaser Trailer) Sleigh Bells bring out the pompoms by Jeremy Henderson ”Hollaback Girl’ With Metal Guitars’: Sleigh Bells Look Back on ‘Treats’ at 10 by Claire Chaffer Sleigh Bells – the tale of an ex-pop-star fourth grade teacher and a hardcore punk from The Sunshine State by Stuart Stubbs Sleigh Bells on Their Sixth Album Texis and “Breaking Old Patterns” by Chris Vultaggio Meet the 4 Most Desired People in New York (According to OKCupid) by Logan Hill Band To Watch: Junior Varsity by Tess Growney BROLIN ALMA and HAGBERG ALICE | Disco Dance World Championship 2019 Where Cheerleading Ranks in Safety Among High School Sports by Walk Hickey Artwork: Cheerleaders, 1959 (Syracuse, NY) Recorded on 3/6/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration Pulaski Day is a holiday observed in municipalities across the US that have large Polish populations. It honors General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War. He is often called the "Father of the American Cavalry” and is celebrated for having saved George Washington’s life. This week’s episode of Silent Generation covers who Pulaski was, how the holiday came to be, and how the holiday is celebrated. Amongst other things the boys discuss how pączki are eaten on both Pulaski day and Fat Thursday (the Polish equivalent of Fat Tuesday, how the best (Polish) buffet in the Chicagoland area is the Red Apple restaurant, and how the Polish suffix “ski” was restricted to nobility. Links: Casimir Pulaski Biography Pulaski Day: An Updated the History Guy Episode The Rise of Casimir Pulaski Day by Jesse Dukes What is Pulaski Day? Here's what's closed and the history of this Chicago holiday by Rafaela Jinich Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski might have been a woman or intersex by Corky Siemaszko *screams in polish* meme https://restaurantredapple.com/ LARGEST All You Can Eat TRADITIONAL POLISH BUFFET! Photograph of the soviet cars in the Polish Constitution Day Parade Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens Happy Pulaski Day, Fellow Chicagoans! Happy Crawford Day, Suburbanites! Artwork: Parada 2024- fot.Michael J. Ariola0004 Recorded on 2/28/2025

This week’s episode of Silent Generation explores the idea that “around the world, nature is moving to cities.” The boys begin by introducing listeners to the concept of the Anthropocene and the ideas presented in Fred Pearce’s book The New Wild, both of which provide frameworks to start thinking that wild animals are not out of place in urban environments. They then talk about animals that are already accepted city dwellers (pigeons, rats, and squirrels) before talking about “wilder” animals that began moving back to cities like Chicago in the ‘90s (otters, snapping turtles, beavers, white-tailed deer, and coyotes). Amongst other things they discuss how Chicago is consistently named America’s “rattiest” city, how a rotund beaver was recently spotted on the bubbly creek branch of the Chicago River, how Chicago is home to 2,000 coyotes, and how coyotes significantly expanded their range after the 1920s due to the Anthropocene. Links: Paul J. Crutzen, Nobel laureate who studied ozone and named new ‘Anthropocene’ era, dies at 87 by Harrison Smith The New Wild: Why Invasive Species Will Be Nature's Salvation by Fred Pearce Chicago Named ‘Rattiest City In America’ For 10th Straight Year by Mack Liederman Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan How Does Chicago Track its Coyotes? Curious City Episode River Otter Snapped for First Time in 15 Years of Monitoring by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Wildlife Cams by Patty Wetli Chonk The Thicc Snapping Turtle Is A Superstar — And Great News For The Chicago River by Maia McDonald A ‘Remarkably Rotund’ Beaver Is Making A Splash On The South Side by Leen Yasine White Tail Deer Population over Time Fear the deer: Crash data illuminates America’s deadliest animal Largest Land Predator (by weight) in Each State How Coyotes Captured the Continent Coyotes Among Us by Stanley D. Gehry Coyotes Among Us’ Authors Tell Chicagoans: Respect But Don’t Fear These Smart Predators by Web Behrens Quiznos coyote moved to another cool refuge Coyote pulled from the cold food section of Chicago Aldi store A new VCU study explores the ‘nature is healing’ memes that dominated social media at the height of the pandemic by Brian McNeill Urban Forests Are the Stroads of Urban Environmental Policy Upzoned episode The Genius of Copenhagen’s 1947 ‘Fingers Plan’ vs England’s Green Belt Policy by Johnathan Tricker In Horner Park’s Natural Area, ‘No Dogs’ Signs Ignored, Vandalized: ‘People Don’t Really Care’ by Seth Slabaugh The Nature of Cities blog r/urbanwildlife Artwork: City bird skyline building. A pigeon sitting on a ledge overlooking a city Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license https://web.archive.org/web/20161229043156/https://pixabay.com/en/service/terms/ Recorded on 2/23/2025

From 1995 to 2010, humor on the early internet—and in broader American culture—was arguably the most simple and direct. Referencing a single “ironic” animal (like a moose, cow, or narwhal) or food item (such as tacos, waffles, or nachos) was enough to make someone giggle. As detailed by Joseph and Nathan on this week’s episode of Silent Generation, this style of humor (which they call “zimmy humor”) became so prolific that it began to pop up in places outside of the internet. Amongst other things they discuss how foamy the squirrel took inspiration from Invader Zim, how members of the Twee subculture expressed their love of whimsical animals to signal their individuality, and how Boxxy managed to do the “rawr xD” sound in real life. Links: I'm So Random / Lol So Random / So Random Know Your Meme page Baby Cha-Cha (1996) The Spirit of Christmas (1995) We Didn't Start This Website (2007) Amytiville Toaster from Neurotically Yours Peanut Butter Jelly Time (2002) Badger Badger Badger (2003) The Kitty Cat Dance (2004) Twee Aesthetics Wiki page FOAR EVERYWUN FRUM BOXXY by Boxxy Whatever Happened to Boxxy? Giant isopods eating doritos Software2050 Instagram page Leave Britney Alone (2007) Chris Crocker, 'Leave Britney Alone' Video Creator, Reflects On What's Changed by Sharon Pruitt-Young Story from North America (2009) Artwork: Foamy the Squirrel from Neurotically Yours Recorded on 2/9/2025

Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration This week the boys discuss various outerwear styles and the types of weather they are best suited for. They begin by discussing Chicago's extreme seasonal averages before sharing their thoughts on the following outerwear styles: painter jackets, M-65 field jackets, varsity jackets, harrington jackets, denim trucker jackets, leather jackets, mackinaw coats, parkas, the Kara Koram parka, wool coats, peacoats, camel hair polo coats, snowboarder coats, rain coats, and windbreakers. Amongst other things they talk about how the popularity of varsity jackets peaked in 2011, how raincoats are the most socially acceptable way to wear yellow in Western cultures, and how windbreakers are not suitable to wear in Chicago despite the city’s “windy city” nickname. Links: Winter temperatures in selected US cities versus European capital cities The M-65 Field Jacket The Orange Kara Koram by Daniel Hakimi What Color is the Sacred by Michael Taussig Anna Khachiyan’s Puffer Jacket Tweet A Brief History of the Yellow Raincoat I have lost all faith in zips by Adrian Chiles Gold Coast estate sale Tiktok video Artwork: The K2 Expedition Recorded on 2/2/2025