This American Life This American Life

897: Intergenerational Space Travel

Sep 21, 2026 · 1h 7m

Summary

This episode explores the generational divide through three distinct stories. First, a producer investigates a cluster of incoherent comments on an NPR podcast, discovering they are actually middle schoolers using the platform as a group chat. Second, a woman reconciles with her mother after decades of tension caused by a misunderstood wedding speech, revealing the complex dynamics of their relationship. Finally, a former teen movie theater employee returns to his old job to see how the experience has changed for the current generation of workers.

Listen ad-free on Castria