1950s: The Golden Age

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When discussing history, the 1950s are often considered the “Golden Age”. Americans who lived during that time often consider it as “the good life” or the “good ole days”. The 1950’s certainly had its high points; housing was abundant and cheap and electronic amenities where readily available for consumer purchase. The economy was still booming and Americans were traveling and driving farther (Marchand). However, on closer inspection, the Golden age was far more tarnished than Americans tend to remember or believe. Woman who were working in the factories during the war are now returning to their domestic duties. Rosie no longer needed to put rivets in war machines, instead she returned to putting clothes in the washing machine. Women were…show more content…
When the ideal family is shown in commercials and public advancements it can be hard to visualize what the actual family might have looked like. In a chart provided by Roland Marchand we can get a more realistic picture of the Golden Era. In his chart, Marchand shows that everything from photographic records to the number of potato chips produced increased in the 50s. However, the chart also shows a negative trend: the number of individuals under the age of 18 who were arrested went from thirty eight thousand all the way up to five hundred twenty seven thousand in the matter of a decade (Marchand). That is over thirteen times more arrests of underage kids, and with movies like Rebel Without A Cause and books like A Catcher in the Rye (Lecture Notes, Week 12, Slide 5) it can be determined that the cause for the increase in arrests might have been teenage…show more content…
Modern society is often led to believe, whether by books, movies, or any other type of media, that the 1950s was a time of great expansion, technological advancement, and overall prosperity. The 1950s often symbolizes smiling housewives, well behaved children, and a sound state of mind and comfort. Television sets were more prominent by the end of the era than at the start and overall consumerism was up (Marchand). At first glance, the 1950s really could appear golden and perfect. However, on closer inspection, one can find women struggling to find their place in society and angst-ridden teenagers acting out and trying to find themselves. The unescapable fear of falling to communism and being burned to death by a nuclear bomb cannot be disregarded. The 1950’s, despite its shinny and illustrious appearance, was a time of much social unrest and overwhelming

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