Sleepaway camp's nostalgia economy

露营营的怀旧经济

Today, Explained

2025-06-22

32 分钟
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Unpacking the American rite of passage that so many children love — but that isn't right for everyone. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Sarah Schweppe, engineered by Matthew Billy and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo by Maskot/Getty Images.  If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545 or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • I'm a firm believer in summer camp.

  • It's this place where there are no parents.

  • Camps illuminate the ways in which childhood was transformed.

  • I'm John Glenn Hill, this is Explain It To Me, and today on the show, we're going to camp.

  • Summer sleepaway camp, to be specific.

  • Nerves are normal,

  • whether it is your first summer with us or if you've been to overnight camps before.

  • I was so fortunate to go to sleepaway summer camp for two weeks.

  • Bye, guys.

  • I always imagined that sleepaway camp would be adventurous and life-changing,

  • kind of like in The Parent Trap.

  • These long-lost twins meet each other for the first time at camp and decide they've got one shot to reunite their broken family.

  • I wish I may.

  • I wish I might.

  • My wish come true tonight.

  • Despite the fact that I never went to sleepaway camp, I'm very familiar with the concept.

  • So how did camp get to be such a big deal anyway?

  • I called up Leslie Paris to tell us.

  • She teaches at the University of British Columbia and wrote a book called Children's Nature,

  • The Rise of the American Summer Camp.