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this is the best post I've ever read on here I think.
Of course I'm sure the right wingers will call you a socialist, but you can't have a successful country unless a majority of individuals realize that sacrifice is necessary.
Well I'm sure they will probably call me something, then again, many do. However you should probably know that I am one of those tin foil hat wearing Ron Paul supporters who even worked on the campaign. I even have a subscription to The American Conservative magazine, The American Rifleman, and the NRA. I am reading Al Gore's, The Assault on Reason if that helps?
I know why you think I might be deemed as a socialist, but the very preamble of our own Constitution begins with, "We the people", not 'me the person.'
The reason I pointed out the lack of fellowship among our own countrymen is because as individuals we are somewhat isolated from the global world by two vast oceans and only have two neighboring countries. Secondly because as a society we are currently the apex of the food chain, we are in essence top dog. Because of these two things we tend to see other nations as quaint and not really competitive on our level, so we turn to our fellow countrymen instead. After all, they are the only other top dog on the street, so thus the only real competition out there. In a weird way, we feed upon ourselves like a dog chasing its tail and in doing so, we aren't paying attention to the yard.
As another poster pointed out, this isn't at all a left-right issue as much as it is an up and down one.
*the GDP grew by 250%
*average incomes tripled
*the housing market was booming
*developers were building 1.5 million homes per year
*Home ownership rates exploded
*60% of Americans were in the middle class category
*Poverty rates were dropping fast
*Consumer spending doubled in the 1950s
*Divorce rates were low, while marriage rates were high and people married at a younger age than at any other time in history
*Only 4% of all babies were born out-of-wedlock, compared to 40% today
*90% of all children grew up with married parents
*there was no crack epidemic yet
*there were hardly any school shootings
*90% of all school levies were approved by voters
*discipline problems in school minor
*the US had the best educational system in the world at the time
*cost of living was low
*families were able to live comfortably on only one income
*Americans viewed the home and the family to be most important thing in society
*No secular humanist movement opposed the 1954 addition of "under God" to the Pledge of Alligence
*The birth rate was extremely high, women were having almost 4 children on average
Despite the fact that women had less job opportunities and racial tension was strong, our country did very well in the 1950s.
It seems as if the weakening threads of family and the home, rising divorce rates, and massive increase in out of wedlock births, and the increase in government involvement in our society has led to the downfall of our nation.
People then were happier even though we lived in simpler times because people viewed the family as the most important thing in our society, rather than careers or money, or having the latest fashionable clothing.
What has happened to our country???
Fortunately, we've moved on.
The good ole days of the 50s are a myth for everyone except white males.
Quote:
Despite the fact that women had less job opportunities and racial tension was strong, our country did very well in the 1950s.
Women were little more than chattel in the 50s. Blacks were thoroughly segregated and pretty much made do with what white America allowed them to have. Only one group of Americans did "did very well in the 1950s." I suspect you are a member of that group...
I was a kid of teh 50's and people then were very waht is called materialistic. They wanted the most modern things avilable. if you loked at a 50's magazine it was full of the latest and greatest and epole went after it. But they also were will top work extra hard and save.That materialism is some sin is a mid 60's and later invention. Theywere not a shmned form progress as they called in modern things that made life easier and better.
I recall that era with great fondness from a materialistic standpoint. I found a lot of the things that were made to be of good quality, and affordable to the average family, if they wanted it. Some of the furniture is still around today, and going strong. I was happy to buy things that were made in the USA. We had fads, and things like we do today, but something from the 1950's in mint condition sold on ebay will fetch a much higher price than a modern toy sold in an average store. The houses from the Atomic era sell at very high prices nowadays if they are in original condition. I do miss American factories, and cottage industries. We could buy stuff right at the outlet sometimes. I miss the Mom and Pop restaurants, and stores. Nothing today can compare to the charm of old soda fountains, and dime stores.
The good ole days of the 50s are a myth for everyone except white males.
Women were little more than chattel in the 50s. Blacks were thoroughly segregated and pretty much made do with what white America allowed them to have. Only one group of Americans did "did very well in the 1950s." I suspect you are a member of that group...
I wish I had a time machine. The women in my family ruled the roost ! Chattel. Ha Ha. The women ruled, and the men encouraged it in my family, because they ruled kindly, firmly, and sensibly.
I wish I had a time machine. The women in my family ruled the roost ! Chattel. Ha Ha. The women ruled, and the men encouraged it in my family, because they ruled kindly, firmly, and sensibly.
Yes. And there were happy slaves....
As for those 'happy homemakers' -- if they never attempted to exceed the length of their tether, how would they know they were on a leash??
Women seeking a life outside of their homes had very few choices in the 50s. No thanks, I'll take present day any time...
Food and clothing are much less expensive, relative to income, today than they were in the 50s. I've seen the stats, I don't feel like surfing all over the web to find them on this beautiful Saturday.
Ah, if we could only go back to the cave man days!
No divorce, no ACLU, no welfare, if you didn't work- you starved...that's the way it should be, right?
I agree. The 50s had a LOT of good stuff going for it, but if anyone asked a black person about the 50s, they'd probably give a less favorable response. That said, the 50s were the golden age for the middle class, the income gap was low, and those were fantastic things that we don't have anymore.
Speaking of the 50s, this Eisenhower video is pretty funny. If only campaigns were this wholesome again.
I was wondering if anyone bothered to look at the other videos that show up at the bottom after you view the one that was linked? There are two there that illuminate some of my strongest memories of the fifties and sixties and they are downright scary. See if you can tell which they are.
Ah, if we could only go back to the cave man days!
No divorce, no ACLU, no welfare, if you didn't work- you starved...that's the way it should be, right?
No one is suggesting the 1950's were perfect as it was a time full of fault and serious societal issues, but it was also far from the worst time. Besides, the US didn't exist during the "cave man days" nor did dinosaurs have saddles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ray1945
Fortunately, we've moved on.
The good ole days of the 50s are a myth for everyone except white males.
Women were little more than chattel in the 50s. Blacks were thoroughly segregated and pretty much made do with what white America allowed them to have. Only one group of Americans did "did very well in the 1950s." I suspect you are a member of that group...
I suspect many blacks in America could say America sucked bog water from its inception all the way until last November. While it is easy to point and say that racial views were backwards in the US at that time and for the most part they still were. However one could also make the argument that during this time period there was great social change in which we began to mature and become a little more enlightened than maybe we were during the 1920's or the 1820's. Future generations are liable to look back and think, what a bunch of unsophisticated troglodytes we were back in 2009.
However the OP specifically pointed out that there were serious problems with racial and gender views and focused instead on national prosperity, upward mobility of the citizenry, stronger family bonds, less violence, etc...
So I guess the 1950's were better in some ways, worse in others and basically just far different than today.
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