Olivia Lovenstein History 406 W sec 8 12 April 2012 Picket Fence or Barbed Wire?

After World War II soldiers found themselves returning to a new America. With an economy on the rise and society evolving into the picture perfect American dream, many Americans found themselves asking- is this really healthy and whats best for us? With the economic boom and technology advancing quickly, America became swept away with the idea that anything was possible and within the reach of their wallets. The world was theirs for the taking- as long as you lived in a suburban house with a wife devoted to a spotless kitchen and children running along and playing on your perfect picket fence yard. Over the years passing the economic boom of the 50s analysis found themselves pondering whether the consumer culture created by the boom benefited America in the long run. With examples of a positive outcome, they can be counter argued with a negative. The boom was able to create jobs for people who had been unemployed before the war, but also there was a percentage of the population that still was unemployed and living in poverty. Weather for better or worse this economic boom had a huge impact on consumer culture of the 50s. Before World War II there was no stereotypical consumer culture we are familiar with today. It was not a normal occurrence for a family to have a car and go for drives on a Sunday afternoon. There was no spending that was not vital to the familys survival. The middle class was very small in years before and during the Great Depression. Mostly all Americans struggled to make ends meet at the home front. Unable to buy themselves or loved ones fancy gifts or luxury items Americans did not have a large consumer market. During World War II there was also minimal spending. Donating or being taxed to go towards the war, Americans again found themselves not spending in a consumer market. Rather at this point they were able to save money and create healthy balanced savings accounts. After the victory of

World War II Americans were full of pride, joy, and money. With government programs directed toward war veterans many Americans found themselves in a safe place as far as money goes. With new technology and modernization nationwide Americans were ready to experiment and shop for new up and coming items now on the market. This was the birth of consumer culture of the 1950s. Although at first glance this market looks new, impressive and inspiring there was a percentage of Americans still suffering from the Great Depression. Between 40,000,000-50,000,000 Americans lived below the poverty line. (Hoffman p. 341) The view and concern of those in poverty was nearly nonexistent in the 50s. Modern Suburbian life had moved too quickly and was too distracted with their new possessions and jobs to look out for their fellow citizens unable to make the cut of the everyday grind. It became easy and natural to overlook this group of individuals with the new modern life style. Poverty is often off the beaten track. It always has been. The ordinary tourists never left the mains highway, and today he rides the interstate turnpikes. He does not go into the valleys of Pennsylvania where towns look like movie sets of Wales in the thirties. He does not see the company houses in rows, the rutted roads, and everything is black and dirty. (Hoffman p.342) Many Americans now with cars and taking major busses and trains did not travel into the rough neighborhoods; rather they found themselves staying within the well-populated and wealthier areas of cities and towns to do business, and more importantly-shop. Not being able to see the problem make it difficult for Americans to identify and fix poverty. Another issue posed by those in poverty is that, America has the best-dressed poverty the world has ever known. (Hoffman p.342) This is due to the fact that the standard of living improved nationwide during the economic boom. Minimum wages were increased and programs such as Medicare and others form the government that supported those in poverty were able to barely make it by- but also dressing the part of your average citizen. In a country as developed as America those in poverty did not stick out like sore thumbs, rather they could blend in, but

be suffering behind closed doors. Without directly addressing the problem of poverty the issue is still with us today and there are still those that struggle to get by despite government assistance and volunteer work. Weather this was a problem created in the 50s or merely just masked for a period of time there is no doubt that not all Americans were able to substantially gain and prosper from the economic boom. Unlike those in poverty majority of Americans had money and were ready to spend it- with great enthusiasm. This is where the new consumer culture was created and is still continuing to evolve today. With a combination of Americans having money in their savings and being willing to spend, a higher standard of living, increased wages, new technology, and an increased number of Americans educated and working there was a huge portion of the population that found themselves with wealth they never had before. There was a new target audience of consumers- babies, children and teenagers. This new area of consumers was targeted via radio and television. But of course you had to have both of those first before you could be subject to all the advertisement. Before Americans started buying products they needed a place to live. Thus was the creation of suburbs. Eighty five percent of new homes were built in suburbs. (Hoffman p.353) Suburb homes were built quickly, efficiently and identically. Every home made to look picture perfect and ready for accesorization of appliances, decorations and cars trimmed with a white picket fence. What Americans could fill these homes with became overwhelming and addicting. Companies would often come out with newer better models of an appliance, for example that the women of the house just had to have in order to be a good mother and in turn- a good housewife. It was nearly standard that every home had a refrigeration, oven, dishwasher, television, and radio. All these seemingly simple appliances were almost unheard of 10 years prior. Making these products at the time something new and fresh for Americans to buy and obsess over.

The American lifestyle was also changed by the consumer culture. It became normal and almost standard that all families had a car, if not two. The car industry was able to take off and be a huge contributing factor to the growing economy. With the demand for new and more cars, car companies found themselves needing to create and build cars by the lot full. With the demand there car companies expanded rapidly and brought the rest of the country with them, by hiring them and creating jobs nationwide. One out of seven workers held a job connected to the automobile industry. (Hoffman p.347) With such a strong automobile influence in America cars became the center of the family and created a new way of living. Being able to travel and go places with other people created new social and economic opportunities. Freeways, multilevel parking lots, shopping centers, motels, and drive-in restaurants and theaters all catered to the person behind the wheel. (Hoffman p. 347) Without a car one could easily feel out of the loop or lagging behind in this new modern lifestyle. The pressure to keep up with the Jones per say is part of the driving force that kept Americans spending. Conformity was an idea that was not much of a topic of discussion prior to the 50s. Independence was the way of life before the new development of technology and eventually the new consumer culture. Was conforming to the picture perfect American dream a negative or positive thing? Or was it even a realistic goal? Having possessions gave a man and his family a social stance. Was conforming to Sunday dinners followed by a trip to the drive in movies a bad thing or just the next step in the development of American society. There are limits this ideal life posed onto families. There was huge pressure on the male of the family to be educated, have a solid job and continue to climb the ladder of business. There was pressure on the wife to assist and support her husband while maintaining a clean and ideal looking home.

The children of this family were at times considered spoiled. With little responsibility and many toys and freedoms children had free reign to let their imaginations flow and become corrupted with advertisements for the newest toy coming to stores soon. The parents of these children lived through the Great Depression, during a time when there was no such thing as having more than the bare necessities, if that. Therefore with this new wealth parents couldnt help but give their children the things they were unable to have as kids themselves. This area of consumer culture was new and up and coming with speed. Counting only what is spent to satisfy their special teen-age demands, the youngsters and their parents will shell out about 10$ billion this year, a billion more than the total sales of GM. (Hoffman p. 336) After considering the negative and positive affects the economic boom of 1950 had to the American society it is safe to say that this boom was a huge turning point in American history. This was a positive turn for society due to the advances in technology, higher standard of living, and more freedom given to the individual. The consumer culture supported the development of newer technology which was able to show American dominance worldwide. With this newer technology a higher standard of living was established nationwide. Even those in poverty were not suffering as greatly as those in other areas of the western hemisphere. Consumer culture promoted personal freedom in the sense that now American could hop in a car and go to places they never could before, with the new products acceptable to consumers there was a strong feeling of unlimited possibilities to the American citizen. America was able to unite and have pride in their countries economy, trade, and of course fancy new Cadillac.

Works Cited Cobbs, Hoffman Elizabeth, Edward J. Blum, and Jon Gjerde. Major Problems in American History: Documents and Essays / Edited by Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman, Edward J. Blum, Jon Gjerde. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.