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. 1d ago

    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

  2. Jul 14

    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

  3. Jun 30

    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]

  4. Jun 23

    Ep. 109: American Manufacturing w/ Alex

    On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan is joined by Alex, an industrial engineer, to explore the enduring resonance of American manufacturing in the nation’s political and cultural landscape. The two begin with a discussion about whether they buy American-made and how different generation cohorts “vote with their dollar” through ethical consumption. They then survey the history of American manufacturing, beginning with the birth of the American textile industry in the 1700s to NAFTA in the 1990s. Finally, they examine the intertwined histories of American Apparel and Los Angeles Apparel before debating whether Americans truly want manufacturing jobs to come back.   Links: Car Free Keith Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. by Rachel Slade The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan Interchangeable Parts This Next Billion-Dollar Startup Wants To Save American Manufacturing Waymo Says Its Robotaxis Get Help From Workers Overseas by Aiden Vaziri “Made in America” Never Meant More Ethical by Derek Guy The new American Apparel: claims of 'ethically made' abroad clash with reality by Noor Ibrahim Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (2025) It's Not Just Shein: Why Are ALL Your Clothes Worse Now? American Factory (2019) The World Bank's 2024 Ranking of Countries by Industrial Output Americans Think Increased Manufacturing Employment Would Be Good for the Country but Not for Themselves by Colin Gabrow   Artwork: Aerial view of the Gary Works (1973) Paul Sequeira, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons   Recorded on 4/8/2026

    Ep. 109: American Manufacturing w/ Alex

  5. Jun 16

    Ep. 108. Freak Folk w/ Madeline Rupard

    Freak Folk was a subgenre of folk music popular from the early to late 2000s that emerged after younger indie musicians took inspiration from 1960s psychedelic folk. Initially defying characterization, people started to label their music “Freak Folk” beginning in 2004 after Devendra Banhart curated a compilation CD titled The Golden Apples of the Sun that unintentionally anthologized the subgenre. Most Freak Folk artists rejected the label, but it described a cohesive sound best characterized by childlike vocals, unusual musical instruments, and lo-fi production quality.    This week, Nathan is joined by professor and painter Madeline Rupard (from Ep. 84: Rest Stops) to discuss the subgenre in depth. The two begin by tracing Freak Folk’s origins to Vashti Bunyan and Davendra Banhart, detailing how the two collaborated. They then dedicate a large portion of the episode to singer-songwriter and harpist Joanna Newsom, discussing all four of her albums: The Milk-Eyed Mender, Ys, Have One On Me, and Divers. They then briefly cover the work CocoRosie and Animal Collective before concluding the episode with a speculative discussion about why most Freak Folk musicians received Waldorf educations in their youth.    Links: Madeline Rupard - Instagram Page https://www.madelinerupard.com/  Joannna Newsom is not on Spotify The Sprout and the Bean by Joann Newsom Bridges & Balloons by Joann Newsom Emily by Joanna Newsom Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom Sapokanikan  by Joanna Newsom Terrible Angels by Cocorosie Winters Love by Animal Collective Rejoicing in the Hands by Vashti Bunyan & Davendra Banhart The Golden Apples of the Sun (2004) Devendra Banhart is Not a Freak Freak Folk’s Very Own Pied Piper by Alec Hanley Bemis BiRd-BrAiNs by Tune-Yards - Pitchfork Review Joanna Newsom, the Changeling by Jody Rosen Joanna Newsom interview on Triple J Meeting CocoRosie - Interview with Bianca and Sierra Casady - Talking Records New Film Documents 2004 Devendra Banhart/Joanna Newsom Tour by Tom Breihan The Family Jams (2009) Highest Rated Freak Folk Albums of All Time - Pitchfork Magazine The Sound of Freak Folk   Artwork: Harp Inspires Hyperbole by Helgi Valur   Recorded on 5/16/2026

    Ep. 108. Freak Folk w/ Madeline Rupard

  6. Jun 9

    Ep. 107: Frutiger Aero [TEASER]

    Full episode available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SilentGeneration   Frutiger Aero is a consumer aesthetic prevalent from the mid-2000s to early 2010s that can trace its roots back to operating systems like Windows Longhorn, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X. Many of the aesthetic’s motifs can be seen in the Windows Aero design language: humanist sans-serif fonts, glassy window borders, nature-inspired desktop wallpapers, and rich tertiary colors. But Frutiger Aero proliferated beyond the internet, finding its way into consumer electronics and the built environment.   On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien begin by detailing how the aesthetic was first identified by CARI co-founder Sofi Xian. They then review Frutiger Aero’s motifs, arguing that the stock images created by the South Korean company Asadal Studio exemplify them best. They then highlight two more prime examples (EVE from WALL-E and the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex) before addressing the modern reinterpretation of the aesthetic: Neo-Aero. They review the track Windows98 by Frutiger Dillon before concluding with a discussion about how later reinterpretations of aesthetics differ from their original vision.    Links: Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/silentgeneration/frutiger-aero/ https://sofixian.com/ The Frutiger Aero Facebook group Frutiger Aero CARI Page Frutiger Aero Aesthetics Wiki Page   DORFic Aesthetics Wiki Page Neo-Aero Aesthetics Wiki Page The Frutiger Aero Archive  Frutiger Aero: the Windows screen saver design trend taking TikTok by storm by Ellie Violet Bramley Physical Reflections of Digital Aesthetics: the Influence of Frutiger Aero on Interior Design by Emirhan AVCI Frutiger Aero: a estética digital dos anos 2000 que volta à internet by Leonardo Vega Apple's new Liquid Glass design puts the spotlight on skeuomorphism for the first time since iOS 6 – and I'm all for it by Jamie Richards The Typographic Legacy of Microsoft Sego UI vs Frutiger Next - Font Comparison What is Bokeh and How It Affects Your Images by Jason Polak North Korea opens atom-shaped science and technology centre – in pictures I used North Korea's leaked Linux distribution, and it still has secrets a decade later by Adam Conway Frutiger Aero Spotify playlist Lease by Takeshi Abo Windows98 by Frutiger Dillon   Artwork: Asadal Stock Image 21   Recorded on 6/1/2026

    Ep. 107: Frutiger Aero [TEASER]

  7. Jun 1

    Ep. 106: Algorave

    “Algorave” is a portmanteau of “algorithm” and “rave” that describes an electronic music event where people watch live coding performances. The term was originally coined by Alex McLean, a musician and software developer who created the live coding environment TidalCycles and its offshoot Strudel, the most popular tools used by live coders. Despite spreading internationally in the early 2010s, Algorave and live coding have remained relatively unknown.    On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien try to answer the question of why Algorave has not become more popular. The two begin by highlighting the contributions of Brian Eno and Alex McLean before examining the work of the first Algorave musician to experience mainstream success: DJ_Dave. They reflect on her recent performance in Chicago and argue that she has appealed to a wider audience by incorporating pop music fundamentals. They then discuss the music of Switch Angel, a regular DJ_Dave collaborator who recently started a record label for live code music called Polymaters. The episode concludes with an examination of how Algorave is a vestige of the “social computing” ethos of the 1960s.    Links: Nathan's Algorave Playlist Algorave Generation Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? - The Guardian  Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? by Imani Amrani  Algoraves: Dancing to Live Coding by Rob Marvin Musical Genes: Sisters DJ_Dave and Maddy Davis Premiere "Can't Do This Alone" Remix DJ_Dave @ Elsewhere If code can make music, what will you make? | Sarah Davis | TEDxCornell Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice by Sarah Davis (DJ_Dave), Jack Armitage (Lil Data), and Gus Lobban (Kero Kero Bonito) Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice (Podcast) Live Coder DJ_Dave Is Logged In to the Algorave Afters by Mekala Rajagopal Meet DJ_Dave: The Live Coding Producer Lacing Together the Future of Electronic Dance Music  Algorave: Algorithmic Dance Culture Algorave: Creating music with code Why We Bleep 045: Algorave/Alex McLean Tidal History 'Original' TOPLAP draft manifesto Live Coding: A User’s Manual by Alan Blackwell, Emma Cocker, Geoff Cox, Alex McLean and Thor Magnusson   Artwork: DJ_Dave performing at Chop Shop in Chicago, IL on 5/9/2026 Photo by Sam Schlegel   Recorded on 5/20/2026

    Ep. 106: Algorave

  8. May 18

    Ep. 105: The Information Age w/ Juniper

    The Information Age is a historical period, beginning in the mid-20th century, that is characterized by an accelerated shift from analog technologies to digital ones. On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, the boys are joined by Juniper, a friend of the pod who designed an app called Atopia that coordinates hangouts between like-minded individuals. Together, the three begin by detailing the contributions of two figures that sparked the Information Age: Claude Shannon and Margaret Hamilton. They then survey the history of early computing, eschewing the “Silicon Valley mythology” that jumps from mainframes to personal computers by focusing on time-sharing and the Whole Earth Catalog. After that, they examine the physical infrastructure of the internet and the evolving nature of the web. The episode concludes with a discussion about how culture is shaped by information in the modern era, and how “social computing” can still be found on Discord.    Links: www.atopia.world A People’s History of Computing in the United States by Joy Lisi Rankin From Counterculture to Cyberculture by Fred Turner A Mathematical Theory of Communication By Claude Shannon How Claude Shannon Invented the Future by David Tse The Bit Player (2018) Shannon’s Diagram of a General Communication System Evenings at Home: Then and Now - political cartoon (1938)  Time-sharing - IBM Whole Earth Catalog, Fall 1968 The Verge - Version History Episode infinitemac.org A Prehistory of the Cloud by Tung Hui Hu Undersea Cables by Trevor Paglen Photos of the Submarine Internet Cables the NSA Probably Tapped by Laura Mallonee Revolt of the Elites by Christopher Lasch Silent Generation Podcast Listener Submission Form   Artwork: The Univac 1 Computer by George Michael   Recorded on 5/11/2026

    Ep. 105: The Information Age w/ Juniper
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4.6
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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
    116
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Silent Generation

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