The 1950s: A Shared Generational Experience

The 1960s represented a time of radical change, progressive ideology, civil equality and experimentation.

Nevertheless, this revolutionary time in American culture and society did not take place without the conventions created by the previous generation of baby boomers. In other words, the events of the 1960s were merely a byproduct of the baby boomer generation.

In particular, this generation that lasted from 1946 to 1957 produced a new wave of life and thought that was further transformed in the 1960s. Even so, these this shared generational experience that baby boomers encountered generation does not fully explain the historical events that transpired.

The American victory in World War II brought home a sense of patriotism, national glory and economic prosperity that would soon define the nation's identity for the next decade. With the days of the Depression gone and a renewal of the middle class, the postwar years soon became a time known as the Procreation Ethic.

It was expected that adults and those returning from the war would have children and establish families. More Americans began to marry younger, and women began to have children during the ages of 20-24 as a consequence of better nutrition and medicine.

As birth rates exploded across the country, the suburbs quickly became the place for postwar American families to settle down and raise children. Shopping centers began to pop up throughout the United States, symbolizing material consumption and wealth.

Along with these changes, advancements in the field of technology created a new shared experience for a large majority of Americans growing up during the late 1940s through the mid-1950s. The development of the automobile and highway gave people the opportunity to travel and embrace alternative cultures and lifestyles on both coasts. The invention of the television brought the latest information about the United States and the rest of the world directly into one's living room.

While technology brought numerous possibilities into the homes of middle and upper-class families, it also created a sense terror in the minds of many Americans. The creation of The Bomb introduced the concept of nuclear warfare as a source of military prowess and power.

Each of these technological advancements and shared experiences helped define what was the 1940s and 1950s and created a revolution among American youth that would soon lead into the early days of the 1960s.

The concept of generational experience classifies an entire society during a historical time based on the actions, beliefs and feelings of the general public. For the most part, a generational experience explains the common historical and cultural events that surround the time and people on the whole.

However, while the baby boom generation represents an experience that some Americans were born into during the 1950s, this classification of society assumes that each individual experienced the same the opportunities and misfortunes as the next.

Hence, the argument from shared generational experience largely places the greater part of society within a box confined of certain borders and limitations. This construction of society leaves little room for difference and variation, focusing on those who presented the most alternative and revolutionary customs that had not been previously exercised.

Although Jones contends that a generation does not signify "a mass of men" but rather "a small elite," the baby boomer generation became a model of American society and culture after the events of World War II.

A particular group of people with a common set of ideas and principles should not dictate our perception of society. Not all of those growing up during a generation characterized by high birth rates and economic prosperity held lifestyles representative of the time.

In fact, it would be inaccurate and misleading to consider these individuals as members of that specific generation. We must keep in the mind that these expansive, indiscriminate groupings that society structures around the mainstream following does not represent each American's experience during any decade or epoch.

Even Jones takes notice that generations are not all-encompassing-that "there are distinctions within its population worth noting."

Specifically, those born during the early stages of the baby boom faced greater challenges than those of the generation's later years. In this way, no particular generation or popularized movement will ever be completely representative of the entire social order.

Even so, this trend of categorization in American popular culture has not changed even today. Americans remain persistent on defining each decade, group, following, etc. under certain characteristics and attitudes-these labels that we have created for different age groups has become a way for others to understand the experience that they lived through under the most simplistic terms.

While the baby boomer generation of the 1950s shared a common bond in coping with the victory of World War II, the growth of technology and the move into American suburbia, the generation that exists today carries its own distinguished set of characteristics and experiences.

For instance, the birth of the computer has presented Americans with a more efficient and practical way to approach and complete work. With the invention of the internet, people can now communicate with friends and relatives around the globe from their desk.

Other technological avenues have opened up as a result.

The expansion of portable technology has also become embedded in the everyday lifestyle of modern society-it is hard to walk anywhere without hearing the ring of a cellular telephone or see someone listening to their Apple iPod.

In the political sphere, the events of September 11, 2001 have changed the way people view the world and put a particular focus on the Middle East region. Terrorism has become a reality for the entire human race, whether in New York City or London. A new emphasis on security at airports and sporting events has become a standard that all citizens are expected to know and follow.

As we continue to move further into the twenty-first century, our society evolves with each age group. It is only a matter of time before future political and cultural events shape the next generation.