Question

Discuss the youth culture of the 1950s & 1960s and how it affected American society. Why was the demographic of the teenager an integral part of this time, especially during the latter years of the 1960s anti-war protests?

Answer 1

The bumper crop of children born after World War II, collectively known as the baby boomers, developed into teenagers and young adults during the 1950s and 1960s. Because of their sheer numbers, the baby boomers were the largest single generation in American history up to that point, having a profound influence on popular culture. Starting in the 1940s, clever marketers established baby boomers as a demographic target and promoted goods and entertainment targeted to their desires and interests.

The baby boomers developed a greater awareness of the generations than previous generations. They had found various ways to describe and redefine their identities. The music of the day, rock and roll in particular, reflected their desire to rebel against adult authority. Other forms of popular culture in the 1950s, such as films and television, sought to entertain, while strengthening values such as religious faith, patriotism, and compliance with societal norms. The baby boomers developed a greater awareness of the generations than previous generations. We have found various ways to describe and redefine their identities. The music of the day, rock and roll in particular, reflected their desire to rebel against adult authority. Other forms of popular culture in the 1950s, such as films and television, sought to entertain, while strengthening values such as religious faith, patriotism, and compliance with societal norms.

Although teenagers had found an outlet for their feelings and worries, their parents were much less enthusiastic about rock and roll, and the defiance and sexuality that it seemed to encourage. The music was seen by many as a threat to American values. When Elvis Presley appeared on the famous TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show, the camera purposely focused on his chest and did not reveal his swiveling hips or legs moving in time to the music.

Painters such as Jackson Pollock have discarded easels and placed giant canvases on the surface, then spread paint, sand and other materials in vivid wild splashes. All of these artists and writers, whatever the medium, offered templates for the larger and more deeply felt 1960s social movement.