Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > History
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-04-2023, 06:28 PM
 
21,602 posts, read 9,198,119 times
Reputation: 19084

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by bawac34618 View Post
Many today invoke the 1950s as the ideal time and an example of how society should be. It is portrayed as a peaceful and prosperous time of traditional values, close knit families, and strong faith that binded the community together. It was apple pie and milkshakes. Then, it all came to an abrupt end at some point between the Kennedy assassination and the Beatles arriving in the USA. Did people in the 1950s, who lived through that time, see it that way?

It seems like a turbulent time looking at the actual history. It started with the Korean War and McCarthyism. McCarthyism was much nastier and a bigger deal than what a lot of people know. The threat of nuclear war back then was likely higher than ever because it was pre "mutually assured destruction" and a lot of generals had a quite disturbing view of nuclear weapons. People look at the 60s as the defining decade for civil rights, but you had Brown v Board of Education in the 1950s. Was the turbulence in the '50s confined to specific cities/regions and thus, without the Internet, most of the country was less aware so for them, it was the utopia it's constantly portrayed to be?

Another thing that would be interesting to know is if people in the 1950s had a nostalgic time they collectively looked back on as the "good ole days." Maybe the 1920s or the 1890s? American culture has been obsessed with the 1950s as the "good ole days" since at least the 80s if not before.
I don't see that at all. I see it used as more of an insult than anything else.

"You want to go back to the 1950's!" (subtext: You are a bigot, misogynist, homophobe...etc).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-04-2023, 07:28 PM
 
3,633 posts, read 6,137,561 times
Reputation: 11375
My mother was a gifted musician who did her graduate work at Juilliard under the premiere performer in her instrument at the time, and ended up an incredibly sad, depressed and eventual alcoholic 1950s housewife whose gifts were wasted raising two children. She was invited to audition with the National Symphony Orchestra in DC but my father said, "No wife of mine is going to work." Because a working wife, even a talented classical musician, was an affront to 1950s masculinity and societal norms.

1950s an ideal time? They were a trap for women AND men. The women had few job opportunities except as teachers, nurses, or secretaries, and the men had the burden of sole support for their families, as once a wife had children, and sometimes even the minute she married, she was usually stuck at home until the kids were much older, and by that time she was easily replaced by younger women.

It worked for some people, of course, but I can't imagine how my own life as a highly-educated woman would have turned out if I'd been my mother's age back then, or how much better HER life would have been if she'd been born when I was.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-04-2023, 08:39 PM
 
32,944 posts, read 3,896,086 times
Reputation: 14355
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coney View Post
WWII vets were still having difficulty finding steady work, even in the 50s.

Even in liberal NY, Jews and Catholics were not welcome in certain neighborhoods and many faced occupational limitations. Certain law firms would not hire Italian or Jewish lawyers. I think the series Mad Men portrayed the era of the late 50s fairly accurately. An Italian art director was an anomaly in that field and subjected to bigotry.
Except the series Mad Men took place in the '60s; first season opens in March 1960 and the show ends in 1970.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-04-2023, 09:26 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,635 posts, read 28,427,436 times
Reputation: 50438
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukiyo-e View Post
My mother was a gifted musician who did her graduate work at Juilliard under the premiere performer in her instrument at the time, and ended up an incredibly sad, depressed and eventual alcoholic 1950s housewife whose gifts were wasted raising two children. She was invited to audition with the National Symphony Orchestra in DC but my father said, "No wife of mine is going to work." Because a working wife, even a talented classical musician, was an affront to 1950s masculinity and societal norms.

1950s an ideal time? They were a trap for women AND men. The women had few job opportunities except as teachers, nurses, or secretaries, and the men had the burden of sole support for their families, as once a wife had children, and sometimes even the minute she married, she was usually stuck at home until the kids were much older, and by that time she was easily replaced by younger women.

It worked for some people, of course, but I can't imagine how my own life as a highly-educated woman would have turned out if I'd been my mother's age back then, or how much better HER life would have been if she'd been born when I was.
That's true how women were treated back then. We were supposed to be thrilled to be stuck home doing housework all day and then putting on makeup and looking pretty so we could wait on the husband when he got home. No matter what the woman was interested in, there was little regard for what she really wanted to do. Very sad about your mother.

We did our best in high school and many, if not most, wanted to go on to college. I had a friend whose father told her she couldn't go to college because she was a girl! She could only be a secretary.

In the newspapers where the jobs were advertised there used to be two columns: Help wanted Male and Help wanted Female. All the interesting jobs were in the men's column. The only jobs for women were secretary, teacher, social worker, or nurse. I got stuck with teacher but I wanted the opportunity to do something that would be of more interest to me.

The women who became secretaries had to take orders from the boss and the boss dictated letters which they took down in shorthand and then had to type. But they also were required to make coffee and serve it to the men. A relative who became a secretary told me that her boss told his clients that, "My girl will bring us coffee." That "girl" was also working on her master's and eventually got a job at MIT after things for women had improved. This was in the early 60s though. Probably wouldn't even have been possible in the 50s.

It was infuriating that no matter how hard we studied in school we were supposed to be doomed to a life stuck in the house wearing an apron and scrubbing the floor--ooops must get prettied up in time for husband when he gets home. Bring him his slippers and have his dinner ready. As a kid in the 50s, watching all of it on tv I couldn't make sense of the dirty housework all day long, getting all sweaty and tired and then all of a sudden at the end of the day needing to become glamorous and attractive for the husband. I could see being one or the other but it was maddening to think that women were supposed to be both at the same time.

In the 50s I don't even remember seeing a woman doctor or a woman lawyer. Women were held down. Hence, the rebellious times of the 60s and the era of women's rights. I always used to think the country was missing out on a lot of talent by not allowing women to work at more important jobs where they could use their heads. I remember thinking that back in the mid 50s because it just didn't make any sense. The culture had changed, families did not live down on the farm with everyone pitching in and working together. The men had choices--not always what they wanted--and the women were treated like nobodies, not what they wanted either. I guess it was better than trying to survive the Depression or WWII but after a decade of it, change exploded in the 60s.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 12:22 AM
'M'
 
Location: Glendale Country Club
1,949 posts, read 3,173,807 times
Reputation: 2798
I was born in 1948 and lived in a small Texas town - Henrietta, Texas - my home town - near Wichita Falls, TX. When I was 6 we moved to another small town in Louisiana for my father's job. My hometown seemed idyllic possibly because my grandmother lived there, too. She had a TV, but don't remember news, just the late movies which I loved. Louisiana seemed strange, but the people were nice. I don't remember watching much news on TV or reading the newspaper. My family - aunts and uncles, and their friends - all seemed pretty happy-go-lucky. My parents had their marital problems so they weren't a good role model for being happy. But at church - especially my wonderful Sunday School teacher, the neighborhood, and at school, people seemed to enjoy life. My father's family - my aunt and uncle, my grandmother's family including her two sisters, my great aunts, plus their other brothers and sisters all totalling 9 - seemed happy. I think when I remember the 50's, it was a time of transition for us. When my aunts and uncles came to visit, the family gathered around Grandmother's large dining room table and had all kinds of discussions about politics and government and football. They were big talkers and debaters about "whatever". They also discussed cattle and ranching because my uncle was a veterinarian in Cushing, Oklahoma, and had a cattle farm/ranch. My aunt's husband was also a rancher. These two were active in many things. My favorite aunt - a geologist - lived in Dallas, Texas where she was alsopolitically active and involved in all kinds of things. She was right there with the rest of the family talking about politics, and even football. As a kid, I liked to sit near that big table and listen to all the enthusiastic conversations...often it seemed exciting. I remember kids during this time period seemed especially eager to have romantic relationships.

Some in our family had housekeepers and handymen who were black. These home workers were treated very well and were appreciated by our family. My family was not racist. My aunt and uncle had best friends who were black in the late 50's, and the 60's-90's. They had a home in Dallas, and a small ranch - with a small passive solar home - outside of Dallas area. Loved visiting them because they definitely knew how to be happy by living simply and well, but they were not snobs or egotistical, and had many friends. For entertainment, we would sit outside at night on their ranch and observe the star formations. My aunt knew a lot about astronomy and would have discussions about the skies. I don't believe they had a TV in either house, and possibly they did.

My father's family - many of whom were educated - were interested in civil rights later on, and also kept up with the latest news items it seemed. My father - and mother - and grandmother, were all big fans of the radio.

I don't think any of these people looked back at the 50's and thought the 50's was utopia. My dad's family were all positive thinkers. They made their own reality, and their own life, no matter what year it was. BTW, both my parents were in the WWII, U.S. Navy, and they enjoyed doing their time to serve our country. My dad went to China for over a year; my mother did not know where he was during that time, until he came home.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 06:00 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA
2,045 posts, read 747,993 times
Reputation: 3554
Certain types need to realize that those who 'long for the fifties' aren't longing to go back to a time where people were discriminated against (minorities) and treated like second-class citizens (women).

They're longing for what they consider to be a simpler time, a less crude time ... nothing more, nothing less.

People need to get a grip. Nobody is longing for Jim Crow, beating gays or barefoot and pregnant women.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 07:20 AM
 
4,086 posts, read 2,390,303 times
Reputation: 6413
Compared to what came before, the the '50's was a good era for many. The depression was over, the war was over and up until Eisenhower's heart attack, the stock market was booming - it had the biggest one day loss since the Fall of France - but even that didn't cause a recession. If people stayed in their place, they were relatively safe...it's the "stay in your place" which was the issue since it did relegate millions into second class citizenship.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 08:32 AM
 
Location: Great Britain
26,882 posts, read 13,100,832 times
Reputation: 19107
Quote:
Originally Posted by webster View Post
Compared to what came before, the the '50's was a good era for many. The depression was over, the war was over and up until Eisenhower's heart attack, the stock market was booming - it had the biggest one day loss since the Fall of France - but even that didn't cause a recession. If people stayed in their place, they were relatively safe...it's the "stay in your place" which was the issue since it did relegate millions into second class citizenship.
I think Americans have a more rose tinted view of the 1950's that many other western nations.

In terms of parts of Europe, it still had bombed out cities, post war austerity and rationing, along with the emerging Cold War.

The 50's also conscription (national service), wars such as Korea, whilst the 50's were also remembered for Teddy Boys and the brylcream and bobby sock generation.

Whilst they possible weren't the worst of times, they were far from some rose tinted era, although morally things were much better than the mess we have today.

In terms of the US, it now had a big advantage over the rest of the world, and it took counties decades and decades to catch up to the US, although the the US would later make the mistake of becoming involved in the Vietnam War, something which would sadly haunt the US and US Foreign policy for decades.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
29,627 posts, read 34,087,515 times
Reputation: 76611
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coney View Post
WWII vets were still having difficulty finding steady work, even in the 50s.

Even in liberal NY, Jews and Catholics were not welcome in certain neighborhoods and many faced occupational limitations. Certain law firms would not hire Italian or Jewish lawyers. I think the series Mad Men portrayed the era of the late 50s fairly accurately. An Italian art director was an anomaly in that field and subjected to bigotry.
I recently listened to a podcast about Eugene Bullard, who was the first black fighter pilot, who ended up as an elevator operator after the war.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-05-2023, 11:50 AM
 
1,703 posts, read 1,079,475 times
Reputation: 3871
Quote:
Originally Posted by fleetiebelle View Post
I recently listened to a podcast about Eugene Bullard, who was the first black fighter pilot, who ended up as an elevator operator after the war.
Not making light of his life, but from what I've heard about war, most of these men were thrilled to live mundane lives after surviving all of that overseas.

Back on topic, my parents got to enjoy some things that we will never know again (a less polluted world and a general innocence about the outside world) but for most the 1950s seemed like a drag.

There's tons of photos and stories from people whose families lived in that time on reddit
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > History
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top