Presenting case studies of well-known shows including Will and Grace, Birds of a Feather, Sex and the City and Absolutely Fabulous, as well as 'reality' television, this book examines the transformations that have occurred in consumer society since its appearance and the ways in . Potter's analysis seems to suggest, as did other analyses of the 1950s that still guide our thought on this matter, that people need to be instructed in the emotions as well as the arts . Others could not consolidate their need to consume with the economic climate and were unwilling to abandon some luxuries. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2000. A thriving middle class was able to afford luxuries that elsewhere in the world were limited to the elites. If commitment was the key word of the Depression decade, many thousands of Americans expressed their engagement in the realm of consumption though membership in a consumer organization or cooperative, or thorough boycotts education campaigns, Dont buy where you cant work and cost-of-living strikes (Glickman). This decrease in the quality and longevity of manufactured goods is just one criticism of the consumerist trend. Consumer Spending, 1950-1960. Kevin has edited encyclopedias, taught history, and has an MA in Islamic law/finance. After World War II, Americans lived in a time of unprecedented economic prosperity and industrial development. Consumerism of the 1950s wasn't about need, it was about appearance, especially with neighbors. 2. (Enter your ZIP code for information on American Experience events and screening in your area.). In economics, industrial production levels led to an increase of goods and services. Monopoly is Americas favorite board game, a love letter to unbridled capitalism and our free market society. This rising tide of consumerism was encouraged by the burgeoning medium of TV advertising, which in the 1950s was able to reach into the homes and minds of American citizens en masse for the first time. All rights reserved. Many stores existed between both boundaries, attempting to offer stylish merchandise at discounted prices (Huddleston). At the height of the 1920s, average Americans spent more and more of their disposable income on major durable consumer goods.1The U.S. consumer economy and stock market was booming throughout the 'Roaring Twenties,' with stocks reaching their highest point in September 1929.2The advertising industry grew to match. Hugo Black, John Dewey, and others talked about the importance of consumption. Bill (the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944), which provided soldiers with a no-cost college education and affordable home loans. . Purchasing for the home helped alleviate traditional American uneasiness with consumption: the fear that spending would lead to decadence.". Motels at that time were independent, mom-and-pop operations. The 1950s could be called the advertiser's dream decade. View all posts by adverthist * posted on July 11, 2011 by . In the U.S., far-reaching advertising trends were established in the cultural and economic environment of the 1950s. such as gas stations, motels, and restaurants, which sprang up at interstate exits. Between 1945 and 1949, Americans purchased 20 million refrigerators, 21.4 million cars, and 5.5 million stoves, a trend that continued well into the 1950s. As soon as the war ended, consumption increased exponentially. Today, there are Holiday Inns in every state and more than 50 countries. Another significant criticism of consumer culture is the human cost of workforce exploitation, especially the practices of slavery, forced labor, and low-wage ''sweatshops'' in developing countries. Today, the system has about 45,000 miles of highway. In the 1960s, women on average made around $8,000 (adjusted for inflation) per year, compared to nearly $40,000 in 2014. The Great Depression tossed many from a previously fruitful decade into a period of austerity. It's funny to me how these two time periods - a mere ten years apart - could be so different in approach. The industrial structures that had first given rise to mass production in the late 19th century and been amplified by the need for rapid manufacture of goods for the war effort during the 1940s were now repurposed to provide luxury goods and convenience items for the rising American middle class. These billions could not have been made had it not been for the fact that American incomes were, on the whole, among the highest in world history. The goal of this system was to connect major cities around the country by a network of super highways. End of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles & the League of Nations. Americans did not mind this lack of goods because it was all for the good of the war effort but it often left them with more money than they could spend. During the depression those that could buy would, those who could not would not; at the dawning of WWII Americans were encouraged to purchase some items and not purchase others, along with contribute to funding the war effort. Another new service industry, the motel chain, was inspired by a summer driving trip. Consumers would continue to buy when possible and advocate for more government involvement in the production and inspection of goods. Advertisements were also very popular on the television. After World War II, the social and economic conditions were ideal breeding grounds for a consumerist mindset and behavior. | Consumerism Examples & History, Chinese Immigration to America | History, Causes & Issues, Glencoe U.S. History - The American Vision: Online Textbook Help, Prentice Hall United States History: Online Textbook Help, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, High School World History: Tutoring Solution, Middle School US History: Homework Help Resource, Middle School US History: Tutoring Solution, Western Civilization 1648 to the Present: Help and Review, Create an account to start this course today. This change came in the form of post-war developments in the existing industrial structure and a subsequent shift in ideals and priorities that led to the phenomenon of consumerism, particularly as a means of spreading American culture throughout the recovering world. These years would influence the years to come, especially the role of television in consumption. Despite joblessness and wartime austerity, ordinary Americans held tight to old consuming habits and dreams. As the economic engine slowed in the 1970s, productivity waned, wages flattened, and Americans faced an energy crisis that reshaped consumer expectations. ' Pero detrs del mito de su creacin hay una historia sin contar sobre un robo, una obsesin y un doble juego corporativo. However, to get an idea of how much women's roles changed . Pop Art offered a new perspective on this trend, providing a critical voice against the growing obsession with buying and consuming. And advertisers were relentlessly urging consumers to "buy, buy, buy," writes Young. The 1950s is often viewed as a period of conformity, when both men and women observed strict gender roles and complied with society's expectations. Create your account. Production and consumption accompanied with U.S. involvement in WWII helped bring the U.S. out of the Depression. Its amazing to see how much the visual aesthetic evolved as a result of the changing times. var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; At the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home to a country quite different from the one they had left four years earlier. And, as political, social, and economic dynamics shift, so do the ways in which we consume media and interact with brands. Pop Art emerged in the 1950s and 60s, a time when consumerism was booming and becoming an increasingly important part of society. He opened the first self-service gasoline station in Los Angeles. Wartime production had helped pull America's economy out of depression, and from the late 1940s on, young adults saw a remarkable rise in their spending power. Hilton resists the idea that the flourishing of consumerism as a self-realizing act in the 1950s and 1960s was a foretaste of 1980s' free market individualism. People would continue to buy but often at levels which coincided with the times. Goods, no longer as scarce as they were during the war, flowed into the marketplace. Find 1950s Fridge stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. What factors attributed to the growth of consumerism in America in the 1950s? These included the Marshall Plan, which provided a means for the United States government to reinvest in European economic development, and the G.I. Get the latest on new films and digital content, learn about events in your area, and get your weekly fix of American history. There are, obviously, some standard modes of practice that are tried and true. As the population of the United States soared during the 1950s, median family income doubled and the gross national product grew by more than $200 billion. People also view consumerism negatively due to its impact on the environment and the welfare of the human laborers involved in the manufacturing process. At this time, the United States had one distinct advantage. His place became very popular, especially among the men. The effect today is the same as it was 70 years ago - people couldn't wait to go buy new things so they could be like the people on TV! the mass production of televisions. American actress and singer Ann Blyth drinks a glass of milk in the kitchen of her home in Toluca Lake . Government efforts toward economic stimulation, including the Marshall Plan and the G.I. Concepts of "the future" shaped the 1950s experience in many ways: In the late 1940s and early 1950s, when Walt Disney was making plans for a safe and clean family park, amusement parks had a . When Was the Red Scare? Between 12th and 14th Streets In the West, it is a common phenomenon, but now even developing countries in the world are resorting to it. 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