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The Era of the Ideal American Life The 1950’s is thought of today as a time of nostalgic bliss (especially for the right wing conservatives), it was a time of sameness, conformity and “blending in;” it featured the perfect family, with the perfect life, sheltered in the perfect little house. People were assaulted with this image in every advertisement, television or radio show. They became obsessed with fitting the image. Following the end of World War II, Americans had a grand desire to move on with their lives and promoted a return to normalcy. Marriage ceremonies were being performed in massive numbers and following those marriages there was a boom in babies. The citizens of The United States were ready to settle into a comfortable and safe way of life. The war had caused too much suffering and neglect and “by 1945 almost every-one had a long list of unfilled material wants.” “Never before had material products that Americans associated with ‘the good life’-automobiles, dishwashers, stereos, televisions, and more-become so readily available to large segments of the population.” It was a decade whose morality and values were centered on the media and it’s depiction of “real life”.
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