FYS The Fifties

Growing up, I always said that I wish I had been born during a different time period when the world was a simpler place. The fifties seemed to be the ideal decade from my point of view, and I looked upon fifties culture with fascination and idolization. I truly believed that people were so much happier back then, and I thought that modern day America could revert to many of the practices of the fifties to solve today’s problems. It was not until I began this course that I realized I had a very warped view of life in the fifties. While many could argue that some things were better back then, this decade contained an immense amount of difficulties and restrictions. The fifties were not just a time for drive in movies and poodle skirts. Civil rights, women’s rights, vast technological developments, and the threat of nuclear war were all big issues for the people growing up in 1950’s America.

One of the most shocking things to me about my new knowledge of the fifties is the way women were treated by society. After a few weeks in this class, I am happy that I was not a woman in this decade because I realize I may have led a very restricted lifestyle. Society expected all women to be the ideal stay at home mom who allowed her husband to be the primary breadwinner while she stayed home to cook, clean, and raise the children. In television and music, the role of a woman was often defined and the punishments for attempting to break free of this role were depicted. For example, in the I Love Lucy episode we watched Lucy backs away from her husband as he scolds her, portraying a fear of being hit. Women were not allowed to disrespect their husbands by attempting to do the things only men were meant to do. Television and movies gave women an ideal standard that men expected them to live up to. However, many women became depressed because their limited lifestyle confined and bored them, but it was nearly impossibly for them to defy these social roles.

The rights of minorities were also a big issue during this decade. One of the biggest problems was the inequality of education during this time. Plessy vs. Fergueson (1896) had deemed school separate but equal; however, this equality was nowhere to be found. It became clear that most white children went to better schools and were given more educational opportunities then children of other ethnicities. In 1954, Brown vs. Board of Education was responsible for beginning the court’s plan to desegregate schools. Even though this landmark case made segregation in schools illegal, it still took many years for desegregation to happen. Discrimination was also obvious in popular culture. It was more difficult for African American artists to gain recognition for their music than it was for artists like Elvis and Buddy Holly. For example, Chuck Berry is recognized today as a king of rock and roll, and his music is still an influence on today’s culture. Although Berry was famous and had many hits in the fifties, he was not truly appreciated for many years. Audiences had a more difficult time accepting these artists and allowing them to showcase their talents.

Another scary aspect of the fifties was the looming threat of nuclear war. Americans believed they were in danger of being attacked, and they lived in constant fear of a nuclear attack. In addition, technology was rapidly developing so society had to develop as well. The television became the new source of news, and the limited options in channels allowed the government to dictate most of early television’s content. News was now viewed on television and it could be twisted to fit a certain viewpoint. People looked to the government on advice for just about anything, including the “right way” to raise their children. These developments in technology and the threats of nuclear weapons must have been difficult for Americans to adjust to and accept. It also made it more difficult for older adults to relate to young teens whose worldviews and ideas were becoming radically different from their own.

I think Americans today glamorize the society of the fifties because there are so many problems in the modern world. We will never be satisfied with the world we live in so we like to pretend that things used to be easier. In reality, we have made a lot of beneficial progress since the fifties. Today, women can work almost any job they desire to. However, for some reason women are still paid less than men. People of different cultures and ethnicities are treated as equals for the most part. I have still seen instances of discrimination, but there has definitely been a great amount of progress in the past 60 years. The world is going to keep developing. Technologies will continue to become more advanced and war will most likely always be a problem. Future decades could look back at the 90’s, the 00’s, and so on as a better time to live. There is no way of knowing how much the world will change. Even though we have many complaints about the time we live in now, the people of the fifties had just as many issues and challenges as us. Our fascination with the 1950s seems to be based on the pure belief that this was a simpler time.

–Amanda P.