16:2 The Affluent Society

• Between 1940 and 1955 average income of American family tripled

• “Economy of Abundance”– Economist John Kenneth Galbraith• All societies before had “economy of scarcity”

– Economic prosperity limited due to:» Lack of resources» Over-population

16:2 Growth of Suburbia

• Mass-produced suburbs around cities in 1950s– Levittown, N.Y. one of first

• Reasons for growth:– Escape crime and congestion of city – Better life for family– Suburbs = “The American Dream”

16:2 The Baby Boom

• 1945-1961– More than 65 million babies born in U.S.• At height, child born every 7 seconds

– Reasons:• Men and women put off marriage until after wars• GI bill made purchasing a home easier • T.V. and magazines celebrated pregnancy, parenthood,

and large families

16:2 The Changing Workplace

• More Americans working in offices– “white collar jobs”

• Franchise– A person owns and runs several stores of a chain

operation • Critics of the change– “The Lonely Crowd”, David Reisman (1950)• Before: people were inner-directed

– Value came from family approval and sense of self

• Now: other-directed– Value comes from approval of company and community

16:2 Advances in Electronics

• The resistor decreased the size of radios

16:2 Advances in Electronics

• Dawn of the computer age– U.S. military develops world’s first computer (1946)

• Jet airlines – Development of plastics and light metals

16:2 Medical Miracles

• Radiation and chemotherapy treatment for cancer • CPR to resuscitate the heart • Pacemakers• Antibiotics greatly decreased death from tuberculosis• Vaccine developed for polio – Jonas Salk

16:2 Rise of Television

• Comedy– “I Love Lucy”

• Action– “Lone Ranger”, “Gunsmoke” (Western)– “Dragnet” (police drama)

• Sports on TV become very popular

16:2 Hollywood Responds

• Weekly movie attendance– 1946: 82 million– 1950: 36 million

• Hollywood tries to lure people back– 3-D movies– Cinemascope • Large, panoramic screens

16:2 Radio Changes

• T.V. and movies make radio shows obsolete – Radios turn their focus to• Weather• Music• News • sports• Talk shows

– Radio’s big advantage over T.V. and Hollywood:• Radios begin to appear in cars

16:2 Rock ‘n Roll

• Alan Freed, radio DJ in Cleveland– Convinced station to play music on air– Noticed White teens dancing to African-American

music in record stores – White artists influenced by African-American

music = rock ‘n roll – “Generation gap”• Cultural separation between parents and their children

– First rock star: Elvis Presley

16:2 The Beat Movement

• “Beatniks”– Poets, writers, artists• Harshly criticized

– conformity of American life– Meaninglessness of American politics– Emptiness of pop culture

• Provided foundation for Sixties rebellions• Jack Kerouac

– “On the Road” (1957)