Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Why Is It You New Generations Have To Ruin Everything?!"
Date: August 22, 2025
Podcast by iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty centers on generational clashes impacting culture, current events in education, and the shifting values and expectations seen in schools, public spaces, and even British pub etiquette. The hosts analyze education reform, critique current and past policies, and point out humorous generational divides—all with their signature blend of sarcasm, skepticism, and wit.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Internet Safety & Modern Parenting

• Roblox Incident and Internet Risks
  • A sheriff encountered a predator pretending to be a 14-year-old girl on Roblox, prompting discussion on the dangers of children’s online spaces.
  • Quote: “Yeah man, the Internet is the worst street in your town. It is metaphor worse worth remembering.” (04:00)

Education System Critique

• Alternative Education Attempts (Alpha School)

  • Bill Ackman's Alpha School offers a model ditching traditional DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) lessons in favor of AI-powered, rapid-paced, skills-focused teaching.
  • Emphasis is on core skills, self-paced work, traditional math tracks, and outdoor activities.
  • “Kindergartners unable to take long bike rides. That’s what’s killing this. You gotta toughen up our kindergarteners. Chinese kids at age five, they’re riding five miles.” (05:50)

• Contrast with Public Education & Political Hypocrisy

  • Hosts point out that California's Governor Gavin Newsom sends his own children to a rigorous private school while public schools under his leadership embrace lower academic standards for equity’s sake.
  • “The governor who champions equity for your children makes sure his own avoid it entirely.” (07:09)

• ‘Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations’

  • Lowered standards, especially in math, are argued to hurt both students who could excel and those supposedly meant to be helped.
  • “This is the definition of bigotry. The soft bigotry of low expectations.” (07:42)
  • There's consensus among the hosts that allowing advanced tracks without forcing all students into them respects differences without harm.

• Union Power & Teacher Autonomy

  • Discussion about the influence and monopoly of teachers' unions, the politicization of donations, and the potential for teachers to opt out with new protections in place.
  • “Teachers can now opt out, keep more of their hard-earned money and remain legally protected.” (13:30)
  • Stats cited: 41% of teachers identify as Democrats, but 98% of union contributions go to Democrats (14:23).

Credentials & Standards in Employment

• FBI No Longer Requiring Bachelor’s Degrees
  • Hosts welcome this change, viewing college degrees as often meaningless in practice.
  • “Anybody who hires people knows that the fact that you have a BA or BS from some college means freaking nothing.” (13:34)

New Generational Behaviors & Cultural Change

• British Pub Culture: Queueing vs. Mingling

  • New generations in Britain line up in single file at the bar—blamed on COVID social distancing—infuriating traditionalists and bartenders.
  • “Bloody stupid. It is stupid...Three years after social distancing ended, single file cues still form. The culprit? The most hardened pub goers blame Generation Z.” (38:16)
  • Some Zoomers defend the new system, calling it “more civil and respectful,” but older patrons reminisce about the social aspect lost.

• Smartphones in Bars & Socialization

  • Observation that smartphones now dominate bar environments, replacing conversation and traditional banter.

Health News

• Updated Blood Pressure Guidelines

  • Lower thresholds for hypertension could impact millions, leading to more diagnoses and treatments.
  • Hosts express skepticism about the motivations, suggesting profit incentives may play a role.
  • “There’s so much money to be made if you lower that number… billions and billions of dollars to be made over the next many decades.” (28:40)

• Ultramarathoners & Cancer Risk

  • Discussion of a study finding potentially higher rates of colon cancer among ultramarathoners, adding skepticism to the ultra-endurance fitness trend.
  • Sharing personal anecdotes about exercise and quick tips regarding heart rate management for endurance athletes.

Quick Political & News Recaps

• Ilhan Omar & Minneapolis Political Infighting

  • Reports on intra-party disputes within Minnesota’s Democratic party, with Ilhan Omar accusing party leadership of racism after a controversial endorsement reversal. (45:44)

• Gavin Newsom vs. Kamala Harris

  • Hosts mock Newsom’s rhetorical style, comparing him unfavorably to Kamala Harris and questioning his sincerity and political positions.
  • Memorable moment:
    • “We’re here in a moment with deep sobriety, recognizing that we need to reconcile this moment, but we’re gonna meet the moment not just with rhetoric, but through action.” (47:59)
    • "Here's Kamala Harris: 'It is time for us to do what we have been doing, and that time is every day.'" (48:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Education

  • “Alpha School… The teachers are called guides. They use AI-enabled software to help students complete course subjects in just two hours daily at their own speeds.” (05:11)
  • “In Cal Unicornia, that meant a wholesale rewrite of math education, abandoning centuries of proven tradition in favor of a victim oppressor narrative that casts rigor as exclusion and mastery as privilege.” (08:45)

• Generational/Cultural Commentary

  • “Why is it you new generations got to ruin everything?” (21:09)
  • “The whole single file Q thing feels way more civil and respectful, said a student in London. No one’s being rude. Everyone respects each other’s space and eventually everyone gets their drink when it’s their turn.” (38:42)
  • “But for many older patrons, a single file cue makes the pub feel sterile, like a supermarket checkout or passport control. The scrum at the bar is a key and joyful part of pub culture.” (39:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:01–05:00 – Roblox predator, Internet dangers for kids
• 05:00–06:20 – Introduction of Alpha School and education reforms
• 06:20–10:50 – Comparison of private vs. public school standards, math requirements, and critique of DEI
• 11:46–14:56 – Teachers’ unions, politicization, and teachers’ rights
• 14:56–15:42 – The real cost of education and teacher political allegiances
• 20:26–21:12 – Generational differences in streaming/media consumption and subscription management
• 21:09–23:46 – Generational divides in approach to rules, DEI, and teacher frustrations
• 27:43–29:55 – Lowered blood pressure guidelines, medical skepticism
• 30:09–33:45 – Fitness, ultramarathons, and health risks
• 36:01–39:56 – British pub culture, queuing, and the social aspect of the bar
• 45:21–49:43 – John Bolton FBI raid, Ilhan Omar controversy, and political riffs on Gavin Newsom

Tone & Style Notes

The Armstrong & Getty show is marked by a conversational, irreverent, and skeptical tone. There’s frequent playful banter, a mix of cynicism and concern over trends, and a tendency to lampoon political or cultural absurdities while periodically inserting personal anecdotes and jokes.

Conclusion

For listeners wanting a blend of humor, political commentary, education critique, and sharp takes on changing culture—laced with quotable quips and the occasional deep cut—this episode provides robust food for thought and plenty of laughs. Whether indicting the pitfalls of modern schooling, bemoaning queued-up British pub-goers, or poking fun at politicians, Armstrong & Getty deliver a memorable look at why each new generation gets accused of "ruining everything".