1950s...Cultural Peak of the USA?
Discussion
I was listening to a bit of Elvis today in the car and the thought suddenly hit me that the Pleasantville USA/ Elvis 1950s may turn out, with hindsight, to be the peak of the "American Dream".
I can't really put my finger on anything exactly that makes me think this period to be any more significant than the years that followed, it is just that, a feeling.
Obviously, American culture is more widespread these days than fifty years ago; however that doesn't neccessarily make it "better".
Am I just romanticising about another period in history that I wasn't around to witness?
I can't really put my finger on anything exactly that makes me think this period to be any more significant than the years that followed, it is just that, a feeling.
Obviously, American culture is more widespread these days than fifty years ago; however that doesn't neccessarily make it "better".
Am I just romanticising about another period in history that I wasn't around to witness?
I'm not disagreeing- just offering a counter point (for you may be right)
What about the 1960s?
In the late sixties the US made some of the nicest cars, US cars still had a strong following, there was some great music, it was easier then to go from rags to riches (although not quite as easy as it was in the 1950s).
The civil rights movement made some big progress. There was the hippie movement/free love/summer of love on the West Coast- San Fran/Haight and Ashbury.....
What about the 1960s?
In the late sixties the US made some of the nicest cars, US cars still had a strong following, there was some great music, it was easier then to go from rags to riches (although not quite as easy as it was in the 1950s).
The civil rights movement made some big progress. There was the hippie movement/free love/summer of love on the West Coast- San Fran/Haight and Ashbury.....
LotusACBC said:
Explan on this pleae
My interpretation of Wilde's famous quotation (which is also often attributed to GBS) is that America went from a 'barbarous' state, ie largely lawless with rule by gun, pretty much straight into a decadent industrialised country without the period between that most countries experienced where learning and art and culture develop in a relatively stable but pre-industrial environment.Balmoral Green said:
Oscar Wilde said:
"America is the first country to have gone from barbarism to decadence without the usual intervening period of civilization."
Whether you agree with him of course, is another matter.
I would say America reached its zenith around 1969. From the turn of the century until then it was probably the best country in the world to live in as an ordinary working man in terms of opportunities and lack of barriers to advancement.
From 1969 the cultural decline of the US is, to my mind, perfectly mirrored by the decline of their car industry. At the end of the sixties they were knee deep in muscle cars and by the early seventies they were being told they should buy AMC Pacers. The decline has been caused in large part by the invention of the customer clinic, which has replaced the engineer and designers free will.
From 1969 the cultural decline of the US is, to my mind, perfectly mirrored by the decline of their car industry. At the end of the sixties they were knee deep in muscle cars and by the early seventies they were being told they should buy AMC Pacers. The decline has been caused in large part by the invention of the customer clinic, which has replaced the engineer and designers free will.
American 50s must have been an amazing time to live there.
Huge manufacturing capacity due to war economy, almost no war damage to rebuild meant everybody had 'stuff' like has never been seen before, cars, televisions, refridgerators, gadgets and so on. Couple that with rock and roll music and it really was a golden age.
At the same time, it didn't last long, Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam were all waiting just up the road for them....
Still, for those brief few years it would have been great!
Probably right about it being the 'original' American Dream, it's certainly nothing like that now.
Huge manufacturing capacity due to war economy, almost no war damage to rebuild meant everybody had 'stuff' like has never been seen before, cars, televisions, refridgerators, gadgets and so on. Couple that with rock and roll music and it really was a golden age.
At the same time, it didn't last long, Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam were all waiting just up the road for them....
Still, for those brief few years it would have been great!
Probably right about it being the 'original' American Dream, it's certainly nothing like that now.
From an aspirational point of view the US definately peaked in the 50's.
British and European culture definately copied the new trends and emerging youth culture which previously had not existed particularly in the UK as we were struggling with financial and social issues still overhanging from World War 2. We copied their music, fashions and even brought about the whole period of cultural change in the UK later in the 60's.
Most European car design copied the US during the 50's and early 60's, and they were responsible for the whole accessability of previously luxury features like air-con, power brakes, power steering, electric windows, radios etc...
It certainly would have been a great time to live in the States... Now I'm not so sure
British and European culture definately copied the new trends and emerging youth culture which previously had not existed particularly in the UK as we were struggling with financial and social issues still overhanging from World War 2. We copied their music, fashions and even brought about the whole period of cultural change in the UK later in the 60's.
Most European car design copied the US during the 50's and early 60's, and they were responsible for the whole accessability of previously luxury features like air-con, power brakes, power steering, electric windows, radios etc...
It certainly would have been a great time to live in the States... Now I'm not so sure
Marquis_Rex said:
LotusACBC said:
Life is dull... Flat... America sucks now. And I'd imagine most other places suck as well.
If 'America sucks now'- the UK is in the dark ages in comparison
The 1950s wasn't that great for many Americans. As already been mentioned, black people had a really tough time as it was still legal in many states to discriminate against people on grounds of colour.
It was also the era of McCarthyism so anyone with even the slightest left wing views could find themselves labelled as a Communist and unable to find work due to being "blacklisted". Europe benefitted from this as many notable Americans - especially those in the arts and sciences - left the country because of the poisonous atmosphere.
So, if you were white, middle-class, non-politically minded and generally kept your head down - America probably was a nice place to live. For anyone else it could be very uncomfortable.
The atmosphere changed towards the end of the 1950s. McCarthy was found to be a charlatan and no angel himself - so the witch hunts died away. However, what shook America out of any complacency it may have had about its position in the world was the launch by the Soviets of Sputnik 1. This showed to Americans that their assumed technological lead could no longer be taken for granted and brought about a complete rethink on how American education was structured - amongst other things.
It was also the era of McCarthyism so anyone with even the slightest left wing views could find themselves labelled as a Communist and unable to find work due to being "blacklisted". Europe benefitted from this as many notable Americans - especially those in the arts and sciences - left the country because of the poisonous atmosphere.
So, if you were white, middle-class, non-politically minded and generally kept your head down - America probably was a nice place to live. For anyone else it could be very uncomfortable.
The atmosphere changed towards the end of the 1950s. McCarthy was found to be a charlatan and no angel himself - so the witch hunts died away. However, what shook America out of any complacency it may have had about its position in the world was the launch by the Soviets of Sputnik 1. This showed to Americans that their assumed technological lead could no longer be taken for granted and brought about a complete rethink on how American education was structured - amongst other things.
Marquis_Rex said:
LotusACBC said:
Life is dull... Flat... America sucks now. And I'd imagine most other places suck as well.
If 'America sucks now'- the UK is in the dark ages in comparisonCheers,
Madman of the People
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