In the 1950s the link between consumerism and happiness, capitalism and democratic society was cemented and arguably reached a zenith with Nixon's Moscow Exhibition speech. The rise in industry and corporations in the 1950s indubitably played an important role in American life and greatly affected the conception of male and female roles. What were some of the positive effects of this consumerism - employment, products, etc. - and what were some of the negatives - male and female social roles, feeling of unfulfillment, etc?
or
After watching the film Pull My Daisy, made by and featuring many of the beat generations, describe your general impression of the "Beatniks" of the 1950s. What did they stand for? What were they against? Were they kind of sexist?
source:
The Second Red Scare and the Cold War at Home
• Voices of Freedom
o Document 164 – Joseph R. McCarthy on the Attack (1950)
o Document 165 – Margaret Chase Smith, Declaration of Conscious (1950)