jan 1, 1955 - TOPIC 8.5: Culture after 1945

Description:

Cause:
After World War II, Americans had more money and wanted to buy more things.
Television, advertising, and new products helped create a strong consumer culture.
People were told to buy things to be happy and to fit in with others.
This created the idea of “keeping up with the Joneses” everyone wanted to own what their neighbors had.

Effect:
Television became very popular. Families watched the same shows, and it became a big part of life.
Advertising showed people what they “needed” to buy like cars, appliances, and clothes.
Paperbacks (small, cheap books) and records (music on vinyl) became common, so people could enjoy stories and music easily.
Corporate America grew big. Many people worked for large companies, and these companies wanted workers to dress and act the same.
This made culture more the same (homogeneous) across the country.

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