A 52-year-old dad and his 12-year-old son walk into a podcast... Every week, we unpack life, pop culture, current events and whatever else the world throws at us—then hit rewind 40 years to see what was happening when Dad was the same age. Today vs. 1986. Algorithms vs. arcades. Gen X vs. Alpha. Two generations trying to make sense of the same weirdly different, oddly similar human experience. Funny, quirky, occasionally absurd, and always real.
GEN X/A: arcades • algorithms • absurdities
Landlines, awkward phone calls, and busy signals vs. texts, emojis, and read receipts. 😂 Who had it better? GEN X or Gen Alpha?
☎️ Remember calling your friend and having to talk to their parents first? Or getting a busy signal when you finally worked up the courage to call your crush?
In Episode 7 of GEN X/A, Dad and Son compare the world of landlines, answering machines, and awkward phone conversations with today's texts, group chats, emojis, and read receipts.
From memorizing phone numbers to leaving someone on read, communication has changed a LOT in 40 years. But has it actually gotten better?
Two generations. Two very different ways to communicate. One big question: Who had it better?
🎙️ GEN X/A — Arcades • Algorithms • Absurdities
22 Oct 2026
Boredom vs. Endless Scroll
Before smartphones, boredom meant finding something to do. Today? Just keep scrolling. Who had it better? 😂 #GENXA
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What happened when you got bored before smartphones, social media, and endless scrolling? You figured something out… or at least found a way to entertain yourself!
In Episode 6 of **GEN X/A**, Dad and Son compare growing up in a world where boredom was unavoidable with living in an age where entertainment is always one swipe away.
From finding ways to pass the time to getting sucked into the endless scroll, we’re asking the big question: **Did Gen X have it better, or has Gen Alpha figured out the ultimate cure for boredom?**
Two generations. Two very different worlds. One question: Who had it better?
🎙️ **GEN X/A — Arcades • Algorithms • Absurdities**
15 Oct 2026
𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐯𝐬. 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬
Schoolyard jokes vs. viral memes 😂 Did Gen X do humorbetter, or has Gen Alpha taken over? Two generations. One conversation.
#GenXA #GenX #GenAlpha #Memes
Before memes went viral, jokes spread through theschoolyard. But was making your friends laugh in 1986 really that different from making the internet laugh today?
Dad takes us back to his childhood in the '80s, while Son brings a modern perspective to the humor, catchphrases, and memes that make kids laugh today. How did jokes spread before everyone had a smartphone? Does a joke get funnier when millions of people share it? And who really has the better sense of humor — Gen X or Gen Alpha?
Two generations, two very different worlds, and one conversation that could go just about anywhere.
GEN X/A — where we compare the world today with the world Dad grew up in 40 years ago.
8 Oct 2026
Top 40 vs. Playlists
In 1986, the biggest songs in the world were controlled by radio DJs, and Dad had to wait by the stereo for hours witha blank cassette tape to record them. Today, Son has 100 million songs on a silver platter, but his tastes are guided by YouTube sounds and Spotify algorithms. We tackle the heartbreak of the radio DJ talking over your favoritesong intro, and ask if the magic of music is lost when the struggle is gone.
24 Sept 2026
Movie Magic - VHS vs. Netflix
In 1986, 12-year-old Dad had to beg for a ride to the video store, browse physical VHS boxes, and pray the movie wasn't rented out. Today, 12-year-old Son scrolls a Netflix algorithmtailored to his brain. This week, we compare the panic of 'Be Kind, Please Rewind' against the modern doom-scroll, and decide which era had the better Friday night.
21 Sept 2026
Retro Toys vs. Roblox
We take a trip down memory lane comparing the physical action figures and playgrounds of 1986 against the virtual sandbox hangouts of Generation Alpha. Did we have it better with sticks and plastic, or do today's kids have it right in the digital metaverse? Let us know your thoughts!
18 Sept 2026
Pilot - Welcome to GEN X/A arcades algorithms absurdities
Welcome to the very first episode of GEN X/A! In this raw, unedited 14-minute freestyle pilot, we throw out the script and dive straight into the time machine. We're testing out the mics and comparing the world we live in today with the pop culture, trends, and lifestyle of 1986. Consider this your official sneak peek into what this show is all about. Thanks for listening, and make sure to follow the show so you don't miss Episode 1!
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