Cultural Conformity and Challenge, 1955-63 Flashcards
What Was The Ideal?
Era of baby boomers + rapid increase to US population
Middle class life in suburbs seen as ‘American Way of Life’
1956 - Life magazine produced special issue, feature ‘ideal’ m/c woman, 32, pretty, popular, mother of 4 married at 16
Critics
Argued conformity had replaced American values of self-reliance, competition, and rugged individualism
Many high schools introduced courses on socially acceptable behaviour.
Failure to conform to dominant middle-class white values led to ostracisation
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
Reach
By 1960, 90% American homes had televisions
Polls in 1960s revealed TV as favourite leisure activity of more than 50% of Americans
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
Father Knows Best
Launched 1953
Life in suburb, ‘Springfield’ + Anderson family
Middle class father, no reference to politics, no strongly held views, never a bad day at the office
Wife supportive, perfect homemaker, kept opinions to herself
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
Betty: Girl Engineer
1958 episode of Father Knows Best
Betty (eldest daughter) persuaded not to become an engineer by college grad supervisor + father as she would be good, but no man would want her as a wife
She switches attention to her date instead.
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Happily married in suburb of New Rochelle, near NYC
Loving wife, young child, good job, nice house, friendly neighbours
Suburban ideal
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
Honeymooners
1955 episode
Husband unemployed, wife decides to get a job
He disagrees: ‘No wife of mine is going to work. I got my pride…men are the workers in the family’
Conformity in Television, 1955-63
Consumerism
Non-stop advertisements + programme content
Advertising revenue grew 1000% in 1950s
Programmes displeasing many seen as waste of money
White racism led to dropping of NBC’s The Nat King Cole Show (1956-57)
Led to predicatbility and sameness in programming
Social Challenge in Television, 1955-63
National Culture
Many argued television developed + defined national culture, decreased provincialism and social divisions, and broadened perspectives
Insisted not all programmes were mindless - some documentaries challenged conformity + prejudice
Social Challenge in Television, 1955-63
Racism
1957 televised interview of MLK on The Open Mind (1956-present)
News programmes showed challenge to the status quo - footage of black children attempting to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957 promoted social change
Social Challenge in Television, 1955-63
Feminism
I Love Lucy centred on home life of Lucille Ball
Ran from 1951-1957
When Lucy had a baby in the series (shortly after real-life birth of her son) almost 70% of nation’s TV sets tuned in to watch
One of the only sitcoms with a female lead.
Social Challenge in Television, 1955-63
Arguments Against Criticism
Cheap entertainment for whole family
Viewers were not passive recipients, could question ideas
Film and Conformity
Themes
Suburban life not popular - No Down Payment (1957) about suburbia was a flop
Escapist, blockbuster films about war + adventure were popular - Around the World in 80 Days voted Best Holly wood film in 1957 by Oscar committee
Heroic men, submissive women, Native Americans as villainous
Film and Conformity
War Films
The Bridge on the River Kwai was best picture in 1958 (British troops in Japanese prison camp)
Lawrence of Arabia best picture in 1963 (British involvement in Arab Revolt in WW1)
Social Challenge in Film
Freedom of Expression
Sexually explict films (Baby Doll, 1956) drew big crowds
Able to ignore Motion Picture Code as attitudes liberalising
1952 Supreme Court ruling granted freedom of expression to films
Until 1956, ban on depicting interracial marriages, 1957 first interracial movie embrace in Island in the Sun
Social Challenge in Film
Continued Conservatism
Blue Denim (1959) based on a play
Abortion in the play, not mentioned in film
Social Challenge in Film
Racial Issues
**The Defiant Ones (1958) **
Black and white convicts chained together and forced to co-operate
Musical South Pacific (1958)
About two interracial romances - box office hit, not well recieved in South
Social Challenge in Film
Social Class
All That Heaven Allows (1955)
Upper middle class widow Jane Wyman becomes involved with Rock Hudson (bohemian gardener, younger than her)
Rejection of middle class materialism, but does marry again - greatest role as wife, sexism
Social Challenge in Film
Not Committed to Non-Conformity
Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
James Dean plays teen struggling in modern world
Youths in cars or motorbike gangs, wearing leather jackets, using slang, maen greased hair
Shocked adults
BUT Dean’s character eventually recognised father’s authority + value of support
Social Challenge in Film
Anti-War
**Paths of Glory (1957) **
Anti-war movie
Reluctance to challenge conformity: Critically acclaimed but box office flop
Challenging the consensus was a financial gamble
Advertising
Increase
$5.7 bn spent on advertising in 1950
$11.9 bn in 1960
More money than was spent on education
Advertising
David Potter’s View
Yale Historian
1954 - argued advertising was as socially influential as education and religion
Dominated media, shaped popular standards, exercised social control
Advertising
The Hidden Persuaders
1957 book by Vance Packard
Argued advertisements psychologically manipulated consumers
Recounted research showing Marlboro filter cigarettes seen as effeminate until ads associated the brand with Wild West cowboy masculinity and sales rocketed
Advertising
TV Viewers
Laughed at exaggerated product claims
Sales of cigarettes suffered with publicity about perils of tobacco
