Pop Culture & the American Pop Culture & the American Dream of the 1950sDream of the 1950s

How does pop culture influence the “American Dream”?

American Business• As economy grew in the 50s more people move into higher-

paying white collar professions (managers, sales, clerical)• Corporations expand buying other companies, creating

conglomerates that paid well but promoted “sameness”

• Some Corporations form franchises – like Ray Croc who bought McDonalds & franchised out the business

• Businesses use more advertising and planned obsolescence (don’t last as long so you buy a new model)

Life in Suburban America

• Middle-class whites leave the cities, go to suburbs “white flight”• Unprecedented amount of children born after the war known as

the “baby boom”• New developments in medicine, like Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoVsRanrcc

• Dr. Benjamin Spock writes best-selling book on child care

• Although women working outside of the home increases, 1950s television glorifies women as homemakers

Automania• “Automania” is due to suburban living, advertising, easy credit

and federal govt building the Interstate Highway System• Interstate Hwy make high speed trucking possible, hurting RRs• Interstate also allows people also flock to vacation spots like

lakes, parks, and amusement parks like Disneyland

Entertainment of the 50s• 3-D films & drive-in theatres gain huge popularity• However, television is the biggest form of entertainment (5% of

homes in 1950, 90% by 1959)• Popular TV shows include Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, Leave it to

Beaver, Mickey Mouse Club & Howdy Doody• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ8IBQ0MNKs&safe=active

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI&safe=active https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49Qn38WdTTs• Quiz shows very popular – but many were “fixed”

• Invention of TV Guide & TV Dinners make viewing easier

Teenage Consumerism

• Many businesses begin gearing products towards teenagers, since they spent millions on products, movies & food

• Comic books, hygiene products, soft drinks, and fashion were marketed to teenagers

• Beat movement centered in San Francisco & Greenwich Village, NY focused on those who didn’t follow mainstream conformity

The Beatniks

• Beatnicks read poetry in coffee houses, practiced Zen Buddhism, experimented w/ drugs & saw themselves as “counter-culture”

Rock ‘N Roll

• Bill Haley, Richard Penniman, Chuck Berry are some of biggest artists of the decade

• Elvis Presley brings Rock ‘n Roll into the mainstream

• Popularized by teenagers of the 1950s, Rock ‘N’ Roll records made millions & artists were watched on American Bandstand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgdufzXvjqw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ROwVrF0Ceg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGZm7EOamWk