America in 1950's

America in 1950’s
1950’s was a period of economic, cultural, and technological growth. After the World War the nation found itself in the state of cold war with its rival Communist Soviet Union. Anti-communism became the unifying sentiment of the American people. Conservatives and materialism characterized this decade from 1950 to 1960. The manufacturing world was booming, and hence the people had before non-existed level of various choices on the market. This led to the booming in spending and hence economic growth. People were baying more than ever before. Just in United States were as many cars owned by the people as all together in the rest of the world. Americans had become a consumption society – they used, threw away, and bought a new updated one.
The 50’s were also interesting period for Christianity. There was a need for having some sort of religion in the society. Post World War hectic life made it hard for many Americans to adapt to the new level of life. They felt lost, knowing not what they wanted from life. In “The Moviegoer” by Walker Percy, we can see the life of Binx Bolling, former soldier of the Korean War, being lost in the modern life. He has hardship adopting to the new culture, and ha hardship engaging in relationships. The only pleasure he finds is going to the movies – where he can run away from the reality.
Many people argue that 1950’s made Americans into spiritless consumers, people who lack spirituality and are only concentrated on everyday basics, materials, and momentous pleasures. A lot of thinkers and politicians saw the need of more religion in the society. President Elsenhower even joined the church in 1953 because he thought some more piety was necessary to be brought in the American society. Later the congress even made “in God we Trust” the national motto of the United States. The growing need for spirituality was also promoted by the godless-anti-communism mood in society. As Whittaker Chamber put it the in the Cold War, America acted as a spiritual God-given freedom against the materialistic, godless communism. “Communism vision is a vision of Man without God” he wrote, and American was strictly anti-communist, hence looking for God, trying to be more spiritual. As much as there was a need for spirituality, the changed lifestyle, more freedom and more luxury posed threats to the existence of piety among people. Walter Lippman emphasized these threats in his paper “The Public Philosophy” and called for renewing belief in natural law in the face of increasing trend of individualism, private interests, and desires in America.