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

Artwork:

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:

Viva Las Vegas - Gallery

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]

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 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:

Artwork:

Recorded on 01/31/2026