Silent Generation

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

  1. 4 days ago

    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

    Checking In

  2. 1 Sept

    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 fear “settling” down more than women? How does “settling down” differ between straight men and gay men? Why do so few gay men struggle to find partners, let alone get married? Are fewer and fewer people achieving these milestones because of structural reasons, or because they don’t actually want to?   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by a listener named Sam to try and answer these questions.    Links: Sam’s Instagram Ever Heard of the Taxi Cab Theory? Here's the Research That Backs It Up by Sydney Meister The Epidemic of Gay Loneliness by Michael Hobbes   Artwork: The mystery of the gay wedding photos   Recorded on 8/9/2026

    Ep. 116: Settling Down w/ Sam [TEASER]

  3. 25 Aug

    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 most Americans know by name: Frederick Law Olmsted. Unbeknownst to many, his career was heavily intertwined with the English-American landscape architect Calvert Vaux, with the two having collaborated on many of America’s most famous parks.   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by examining two of Olmsted and Vaux’s most well-known projects: Central Park and the Buffalo Parks System. They then compare the development around Golden Gate Park to Central Park, debating the degree to which the development surrounding urban parks factors into their greatness. Next they detail how Park Avenue in New York City once sported 56 feet of greenspace for pedestrians, only for it to get whittled down to 20 feet to accommodate car traffic in the late 1920s. The episode concludes with a deep dive into the Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, with an examination of two of his modernist landscapes: the Copacabana Promenade and the Edmundo Cavanelas Residence.    Links: Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/landscape-architecture/ Frederick Law Olmsted | Designing America The Seven S’s of Olmsted Design by Dr. Charles E. Beveridge Photograph of 2nd Ave and 42nd St in NYC in 1861 Stunning pictures that show how Central Park has drastically changed since the 1980s by   Asta Thrastardottir Just how bad was Central Park in the 1970s? About Buffalo Park System - Olmsted Network Buffalo: Delaware Park - Segregation by Design Comparing Golden Gate Park to Other Major Urban Parks by Tessa McLean Casting Shade on Shadows: S.F. Supervisor Targets a Favorite Tool for Blocking Housing by Io Yeh Gilman San Francisco Family Zoning Plan - San Francisco Planning New York City Wants to Bring More Park to Park Avenue by John Surico Park Avenue’s Park Is Coming Back. Partially. Eventually. by Christopher Bonanos Manhattan's Park Avenue would look more like a park under plan pushed by Mamdani by Liam Quigley Mayor Mamdani Unveils Design Concepts to Put the ‘Park’ Back in Park Avenue Landscape Film, Roberto Burle Marx (2018) Revisiting the Constructed Edens of Roberto Burle Marx by Holland Cotter Re-Thinking Roberto Burle Marx by Edward J. Sullivan The Full Brazilian by Isabela Ono Brazilian Artist Roberto Burle Marx’s Most Mesmerizing Gardens by Madeleine Luckel The History of the Copacabana Sidewalk: From Its Origin in Portugal to Burle Marx's Intervention by Nicolás Valencia The Battle for Central Park by Hoog The Cultural Landscape Foundation The Full Brazilian by Isabela Ono   Artwork: Piccadilly Gardens in the mid-1960s   Recorded on 8/17/2026

    Ep. 115: Landscape Architecture

  4. 11 Aug

    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 west to fledgling national parks. The style came to be characterized by harmony with the natural environment, locally sourced materials, and vernacular features.   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by synopsizing the early history of the National Park Service. They then discuss famous examples of National Park Service Rustic such as the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone, Desert View Watchtower in the Grand Canyon, and the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. Particular attention is paid to the work of Mary Colter, one of the first female architects, who is notable for designing her buildings to harmonize with both the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the places she built them. The episode concludes with an examination of how car-oriented development caused the National Park Service to abandon the style after WWII.    Links: Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/national-park-service-rustic/  Old Faithful Inn Architecture in the Parks: A National Historic Landmark Theme Study: Old Faithful Inn Inside Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn Inside Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn — “The Beginning of Rustic Architecture in National Parks” by Kate Daniel Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter Mary Colter and Her Buildings at Grand Canyon Mary Colter's Bright Angel Lodge Mary Colter and the Grand Canyon - Parkography Podcast Mary Colter: The forgotten architect of the US Southwest by Erin Van Rheenen Mary Colter, Builder Upon the Red Earth by Virginia Grattan Mary Colter’s ”Geologic Fireplace” The Architect Behind Parkitecture by Teresa Bitler Building History: Mary E. J. Colter at Grand Canyon - Linda Reeder On The Trail: Grand Canyon Architecture Tracing the Yosemite Valley Railroad Post Cards Related to the Yosemite Valley Railroad Parkitecture: A Rustic Back-to-Nature Architectural Aesthetic 19: Parkitecture and Historic Hotels - Exploring the National Parks US national parks told to remove signs on mistreatment of Native Americans, climate, Wash Post reports - Reuters America’s National Parks at 100 (2016)   Artwork: Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite NP, 1960   Recorded on 8/7/2026

    Ep. 114: National Park Service Rustic

  5. 4 Aug

    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 their feet to play with guitar pedals) during a 1991 show in London. Interest in the subgenre peaked shortly thereafter with the release of My Bloody Valentine’s sophomore album Loveless, and shoegaze effectively died by 1994. Despite the subgenre’s brief initial popularity, shoegaze has experienced a revival every subsequent decade, leaving modern listeners to question what makes its sound so enduring.   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by detailing shoegaze’s early influences (Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound technique, ‘60s psychedelic rock, and new wave) before describing what the subgenre actually sounds like. With that context established, they then discuss the music of Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Gleemer. The episode rounds out with an examination of “zoomergaze” (the newest revival of shoegaze) to try and answer the question of what makes the subgenre so appealing to Gen Z.    Links: Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4YijO72un5g7jh3qMt98ft Shoegaze Classics Spotify Playlist Shoegaze: a Beginner's Guide by Ella Fraser-Thoms Feedback, Distortion, an Exploration of Sound: A Brief History of Shoegaze - Underground England Rock for Dreamers: History and Transcendence of the Shoegaze Music Genre - Sound of Life The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time - Pitchfork 124 - Simon Reynolds on Shoegaze, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Sonic Youth, Pavement & More - Music Maps Podcast Simon Reynolds - Still in a Dream of Shoegaze, Slackers, and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984-1994 - C86 Show - Indie Pop Shoegaze as an Aesthetic “Venus in Furs” by the Velvet Underground by Erich Kuersten “Relentless Wall of Sound”: Nadine Shah Describes her Favourite Velvet Underground Track by Kelly Murphy History & Impact Of The Wall Of Sound Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound”: The Technique That Changed Music Forever by Nathan Fields Hunting Phil Spector - Homicide: Los Angeles (2024) Cocteau Twins - History Unpacking the Unique Sound of Cocteau Twins - Stained Glass Stories  Why Does Gen Z LOVE Shoegaze? by Kelsie x The Yellow Button  From Shoegaze to Zoomer Gaze: the Evolution of a Gen Z Musical Phenomenon by Whynow   Artwork: Slowdive - 3 old live acts (1991-1993)   Recorded on 7/27/2026

    Ep. 113: Shoegaze [TEASER]

  6. 21 Jul

    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 suburbs. Perplexingly, they leaned into their semi-rural character and became hotbeds of rightwing extremism as detailed by David Masciotra in Exurbia Now. But why?   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien examine how the built environment influences the political leanings of exurbia. They begin by listing the common characteristics of exurbs before detailing how late stage white flight, longer commute times, and megachurches made them more conservative. They then examine the exurbs of Illinois and Texas, paying particular attention to Prosper, TX. The episode concludes with a discussion about why exurbs are growing and the degree to which “environmental determinism” can account for exurban rightwing extremism.   Links: Suburbs: A Very Short Introduction by Carl Abbott List of exurbs in the United States List of edge cities "Exurbia": Democracy's Newest Battleground | David Masciotra | TMR Exurbia Now: The Battleground of American Democracy by David Masciotra The Exurban Dream vs. The American Dream by David Masciotra The Exurbs: The Suburban/Rural Transition Zone by Pete Sanders Exurbs: America's Biggest Housing Trend You Haven't Heard Of by Justin Klawans The ‘Great Reshuffling’ Is Shifting Wealth to the Exurbs by Laura Forman The Surprising Politics of Sidewalks by Eleanor Cummins Proper, Texas - Texas Escapes Is Prosper On a Path to Prosperity, Or Is it Lost in Suburban Limbo? by Peter Simek Texas Leads U.S. in New-Home Construction, Census Data Finds by Joe Edwards America’s Fastest-Growing Cities Are in the Exurbs by Jon Kamp, Paul Overberg, and  Max Rust A great exurban surge is reshaping America by Russell Contreras Millennials are Fleeing Cities in Favor of Exurbs - Upzoned Podcast Boomburbs, Exurbs, Edge Cities, Mega/Meta Cities, Oh My!’ How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church by Tim Alberta The Metro Framing Urbanists Didn’t Know They Needed by Pete Saunders It’s not just cities–suburbs and exurbs need to adopt and implement climate plans too by Megumi Tamura and Joseph W. Kane   Artwork: Prosper, TX by Trong Nguyen, licensed through Adobe Stock.   Recorded on 7/10/2026

    Ep. 112: Exurbs

  7. 14 Jul

    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 grid plans, mixed use development, and multimodal transportation, streetcar suburbs remain some of the most desirable places to live in the United States today. So why don’t we build more of them?   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by noting that many streetcar suburbs were once serviced by earlier forms of mass transit like horsecars and cable cars. They then discuss the common features of streetcar suburbs before suggesting that the last true “extant streetcar suburbs” can be found in Philadelphia and Boston. Shifting to “former streetcar suburbs,” they then explain why Los Angeles is the “streetcar suburb capital of America” and why Chicago’s streetcar suburbs of Evanston and Oak Park are overwhelmingly liberal. The episode concludes with a discussion about streetcars and transit-oriented development in the present day.    Links: Suburbs: A Very Short Introduction by Carl Abbott Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States by Kenneth T. Jackson The Earliest Roots of the Suburban Experiment by Daniel Herriges The Fascinating Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Streetcar Suburbs by Emma Newcombe Suburban Streetcar Desire by Tina Trenkner In Praise of Streetcar Suburbs by Pete Saunders A Look Back at Chicago's Streetcar Era by Erica Gunderson Why Did Chicago Stop Growing? By Edward McClelland Welcome to Evanston, where woke never died Railroad Suburbs: A Model For Suburban Redevelopment by Pete Saunders Suburbs that don't Suck - Streetcar Suburbs - Not Just Bikes  Why Chicago Suburbs Feel Like Cities - Architales Segregation by Design - Philadeplhia In Search of Walkable L.A.: How Defunct Electric Railways Could be Southern California's Salvation - Citynerd Episode 37: Kennywood  What Happened to Streetcar Suburbs? by George Dillard   Artwork: By railfan 44 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/129679309@N05/26740034096/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54436537   Recorded on 7/3/2026

    Ep. 111: Streetcar Suburbs

  8. 30 Jun

    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 pieces have attributed the change to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, blaming them for causing country to become “a music genre solely produced by and for working-class white Americans who held conservative political views.” But there is counter evidence that suggests the genre began to drift in a rightwing direction prior to 2001, such as the mainstream success of God Bless the U.S.A by Lee Greenwood in 1984. To what degree is the assertion that “9/11 ruined country” fair?   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin to answer the question by examining two older country music subgenres that starkly contrast post-9/11 country: outlaw country and “working class country.” The two then analyze patriotism before and after 9/11, with Nathan detailing how Johnathan Haidt’s research found that patriotism is innately stronger amongst conservatives. They then discuss several post-9/11 country songs that demonstrate the direction country music went in following the attacks: Where Were You by Alan Jackson, Travelin’ Soldier by The Chicks, and Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue by Toby Keith. The episode concludes with a discussion of when and why country music moved on from its War on Terror themes.   Links: Nathan’s Post 9-11 Country Spotify Playlist Post 9-11 Country Spotify Playlist  Country Music - Encyclopedia Brittanica  Chicken Fried: A Musical Exploration of Southern Values in Modern Country Music by Abigail Schneider Stars, Stripes, and Country Music 9/11 RUINED Country Music - Record Breaker Episode 119: How the Right Shaped Pop Country Music - Citations Needed Country Music Stars Challenge Al-Qaeda - The Onion 2001 Country Music Awards - Hosted by Vince Gill The Dixie Chicks Interview by Diane Sawyer for Primetime Live - President Bush Controversy Toby Keith And American Nationalism How Did Toby Keith Get To Do A Concert In Saudi Arabia? by Anastasia Tsioulcas Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue' lives on in MAGA country by Danielle Kurtzleben From Love-Struck Outlaws to Flag-Waving Patriots: The Transformation of American Country Music Post-9/11 by Grace Robertson The Resonating Echoes of 9/11 in Country Music by Meg Richards Country Music Embraced Jingoism After 9/11. It’s Finally Moving On by Joseph Hudak Think Politics Is Gone From Country Music? Listen Closer by Jewly Hight Top 10 Songs About 9-11 Help me with this list about songs relating to 9/11 & Iraq/Afghanistan The Righteous Mind by Johnathan Haidt The Righteous Mind Lesson 2 (moral matrix diagrams) Battle for Paradise by Naomi Klein   Artwork: Toby Keith During a USO Performance on April 24, 2012 Official Navy Page from United States of AmericaMC3 Christopher S. Johnson/U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons   Recorded on 6/22/2026

    Ep. 110: Post-9/11 Country [TEASER]
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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 urbanism. Find us on Instagram: silent.generation

Information

  • Creator
    Silent Generation
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Silent Generation

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