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Comment by sublinear | Hacker News Reader

> Before I tell you about the first thing, I just want you to remember our brains were still developing when we thought this was so funny.

Are we seriously going to keep saying stuff like this to enculturate young people?

I used to love NPR (I suppose my brain was still developing), but it's offhand comments like this that show too much ulterior motive and keep driving me away from ever listening again.

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This American Life is an independent program, not produced or distributed by NPR. The person who wrote that is a TAL producer, not affiliated with NPR.

Also, were you trying out some new vocabulary? enculturate is not appropriate in the context you used it, and it’s not clear what exactly you were trying to convey, other than your own grumpiness, which came through loud and clear.

> enculturate

I think he meant inculcate as, presumably, an "eggcorn"...

I think “indoctrinate” is more likely.

In rereading it, I agree. :)

"This American Life is an independent program, not produced or distributed by NPR."

TAL is independently produced, but distributed by PRX() for broadcast to NPR, and NPR is partially financing it by paying for the right to air it.

PRX also funded by Corporation for Public Broadcasting; this is all a somewhat incestuous, government financed form of independence.

Your information is out of date. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was disbanded in January.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/business/media/corporatio...

What is the ulterior motive?

This sounds like lightly self deprecating nod to something cringey done in their earlier career. What have I missed?

I don't get it, what's the issue with the phrase?

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