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Teenage Life and Counter Culture in the 1950s . Before World War II. Teenagers expected to take life seriously Males joined the military or go and get a job Females taught to take care of the house and prepare to be a dutiful wife and mother
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Before World War II • Teenagers expected to take life seriously • Males joined the military or go and get a job • Females taught to take care of the house and prepare to be a dutiful wife and mother • Marriage seen as more important than education or a career • Teens had little economic freedom, independence, or input into decision making
Things Change • Families experienced a great deal of economic power • New medians for entertainment created • Teenagers now more inclined to: • Attend college • Find a skill • Seek a successful career • Parents now wanted more for their children
Teenage Entertainment Television shows AM Radio Rock ‘n’ Roll High school dances Clothing trends Dance fads
Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Generation Gap • Teens now have spending money • Buying rock ‘n’ roll records • Parents despised rock music • Corrupting their children • Blamed rock music for youth rebellion • Parents didn’t understand independence and freedom
Counter Culture The Beatnik The Beat Generation Media stereotype Depicted superficial aspects of Beat Generation Black turtle neck sweaters Bongos, dark glasses, berets Post-WWII writers Rejection of received standards and materialism Interest in Eastern religion Celebrated non-conformity
The Beat Generation • Jack Kerouac coined the term in 1948 • Fore-runners for 1960s hippie culture • “Beat” – beaten down/suppressed; upbeat/on the beat • Literary movement from the 1950s • Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs • Helped liberalize American publishing • Original Beat Generation members met in New York City, but then all found their way to San Francisco