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/ MidtownuniformThen and Now: Wall Street Power Dressing by Pierre Schermann/ WWDFleece Is In Full Bloom by George Chinsee/ WWDThe Patagonia vest endures in San Francisco tech circles, despite ridicule by Bobby AllynPatagonia 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 PykeAlpha Dads at their Son’s GameAlpha 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 SteinbergChipotle Boy Bowl' Promo Is Aimed at Finance Bros - Business Insider by Dominick ReuterWhy fast casual chains like Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and Cava are losing their freshness by Dominick ReuterThe Executive Coloring BookEvery 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

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 pageTiffany’s Disney adult Halloween costumeDisney 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 TaitHow ‘Disney Adults’ Became the Most Hated Group on the Internet by EJ DicksonDon’t Judge Disney Adults. Try to Understand Them by Jodi Eichler-LevineWhat Exactly Is the Magic of Disney World? by Kathryn Jezer-MortonK-HOLE #5: A Report on DoubtDisney’s FastPass: A Complicated History - Defunctland A Deep Dive Into Disney Adults - Kurtis ConnorDisney Adult (Urban Dictionary definition)Grown woman who cried upon meeting Goofy Tik Tok videoThe Segregation of Social Desire: “Religion” and Disney World by William ArnalDisneyland Abu Dhabi Would 'Never Work' Outdoors Says Park Boss by Caroline ReidDear and Darling  Dear and Darling Pluto storyBad Influence: The Dark Side of KidfluencingPokemon scalper cleans out entire shelf of destined rivals etb in front of kidOnce Upon A Time: The Pop Culture Impact of Mickey Mouse Watches by Rhonda RicheThe enduring appeal of Mickey Mouse: Why the fashion industry is still interested by Anya GeorgijevicDisney 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: GorpcoreEverything to Know About Gorpcore, the Outdoorsy Trend Celebs LoveThe Origins of GORP by Ashley BrownFirst Came Normcore. Now Get Ready for Gorpcore by Jason ChenRihanna Lookin' like a Pokemon gym leader memepride month outfit memeGorpworld - Instagram pageGorpcore.jpeg - Instagram pageGorpcore.world - Instagram pageOutdoorrecarchive - Instagram pagePresta94 - Instagram pageDimi_tt7 - Instagram pageThe Story of Fleece by Rachel G ClarkThe Darkside of Gorpcore by Wrong TrousersOze’s Mighty Bokka PortersHideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness by RalphCheck Out This Sick $1700 Death Stranding 2 Jacket You’ll Never Get by Alyssa MercanteDeath Stranding 2 Photo Session with Fragile, Tomorrow and Rainy   Artwork:Source unknown   Recorded on 8/2/2025

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 MurgerLa bohème by Giacomo PucciniBohemians: A Very Short Introduction by David WeirBohemians: The Glamorous Outcasts by Elizabeth WilsonBohemianism - In Our Time (BBC)Cross-section of a Parisian house in the 1850sMexico City GentrificationTowertown: LOST COMMUNITIES OF CHICAGONabe ni Dangan wo Ukenagara (manga that features Chicago)“Water only” family Tik TokLabelle - Lady MarmaladeBo-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 SpotifySignificant Lovers InstagramManouche 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 ReinhardtStéphane Grappelli - His Life and Legacy: Part One. Gypsy Jazz Violinist with/after Django ReinhardtWish You Were Here by Pink FloydBohemianism - 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. SchwartzThe Great American Shopping Mall: Past, Present, and Future by Spencer LiThe Perfectly Optimized Building for Late Capitalism - Stewart HicksOpening of Minnesota's Southdale Center99 Percent Invisible: Meet me by the fountainHow Malls Are Evolving In The U.SWhat Is a Class A Mall?Why Restaurants Have Become So Important To Shopping MallsWater Tower Place ‘Past Its Prime’ As A Mall — But Mag Mile Recovery In Full Swing, Backers Say by Melody MercadoThe Only Thing To Do in a Dying Mall by Edward Robert McClellandWhat is The Metropolitan? What to know about the new urban village in Phoenix by Taylor SeelyMeet the ‘Queen Spinner of Shell Shock,’ a local celebrity at MOA by Nicole KiSpencer’s Gifts existed back in the ‘40s as a mail order catalog that sold donkeysYankee Candles Levels of AbstractionMall Chicken Made Me Feel More American by Su Jit-LinLuxurydeptstore Instagram accountThe Great Places Erased by Suburbia - NotjustbikesWhat 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 memeBitches from Chicago be like BEACH DAY memeMilverineA cool guide about swimwear color safetyInterview: The Designers of Chubbies Shorts by Geoffrey BrownMen's Swimwear Guide - Bathing Suits for Gentlemen: Trunks, Briefs & Speedos1970’s Men’s Swimwear Tik Tok videoMacy's Beachwear June 2025 - Chicago, ILYou can’t arrest me my dad is a lawyer memeMike White Teases Location For Season 4 Of ‘The White Lotus’ by Peter WhiteThe 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 PodcastBONUS: 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 PodcastDuvin DesignVacation Brand SunscreenOrlebar BrownFrescobol CariocaChubbies   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 FreedomNormcore: Fashion for Those Who Realize They’re One in 7 Billion by Fiona DuncanNormcore: Fashion Movement or Massive In-Joke? by Alex WilliamsNormcore Never Died. It Just Got More Expensive by Vanessa FriedmanNormcore Was Always A Misunderstood Fantasy by Delia CaiASOS: 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 TrendsFrom Hardcore to Harajuku: The Origins of Scene Subculture by Ethan StewartThe comprehensive guide to scene culture (from a former scene kid) // video essay by SaoirseThe Scene Queens Of Myspace: Web’s First Ever Stars (2000s Guide) by Vitalyspaceeveryday hair&makeup routine by Ambrehhh Is DeadKiki Kannibal: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Sabrina Rubin ErdelyKiki Kannibal’s necklacesScene Wolf - Know Your MemeScene Nostalgia/ fuckyeah2012From a real 2000-2010s former scene girl.. (w/ proof pix and playlist - Reddit postFreaxx - brokeNCYDEAlcohol - Millionaires23 Former Scene Kids From The '00s Who Glowed The Heck Up by Anna KopskyHow zoomers think skinny jeans look vs. how millennials think skinny jeans look   Artwork:Ambrehhh Is Dead   Recorded on 5/5/2025