We are of course smack in the middle of summer, a great time to get out and play lawn games like croquet, cornhole, or bocce – games that have survived in some cases for thousands of years. Today we dig in to those games, along with some alternatives that are on the rise. Then, technology has altered the way we experience the present and past – so we ask, are iPhones really ruining summer camp? And, according to a recent analysis, pop music is getting stupider. But, does music have to be smart to be good?
Listen to the full show.
Lawn Games
Paul Tukey is co-author of Tag, Toss & Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games, and he spoke with us about the fascinating history behind some of our favorite summer sports, and how our relationship with these games is changing in the 21st century.
The Rise of Kubb
Word of Mouth producer Taylor Quimby spoke with Elin Johannson, a native of Sweden who now lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire, about the rising popularity of the lawn game Kubb.
How iPhones Ruined Summer Camp
Brett Berk is author of the article "How iPhones Ruined Summer Camp" for Vanity Fair, and the book "A Gay Uncle's Guide To Parenting."
"Are Pop Songs Getting Dumber?"
Chris Wright wrote the article “Are Pop Songs Getting Dumber?” for the Boston Globe Ideas section. He joined us to tell us more about a recent study claiming to have proven that pop songs really are getting worse.
