Pros And Cons Of The 1920s

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World War I just ended and times were changing. Social, economic, and even entertainment transformation made the 1920s a one-of-a-kind decade. A new society consisting of moral changes, working, independent women, also had African Americans with a “new spirit”. This decade not only had changing individuals, but also a big group deemed as the middle class, were now climbing up the social ladder. Unlike before, people could now afford more and consumerism changed the way people lived their lives. People even had more leisure time to watch silent films and dedicate time towards sports. So although most people wanted society to return to its pre-war condition, others had new, unprecedented outlooks and attitudes that made the 20s a radical decade. …show more content…
People may have changed, but lifestyles evolved as well. The economy was booming and people now saw their role as consumers. They now bought credit and stock to be able to afford new luxuries. With Ford’s adaptation of the assembly line, cars were now a necessity for the middle class. He even raised wages and shortened the work week, leaving people with more money and more time. With more consumers, companies turned to advertising to sell their products. Ads were associated with the modern era and were aimed at consumers’ fears. For General Electric to sell their automatic dishwasher, their advertisement conveyed the idea that their dishwasher was the “world’s finest, most modern automatic dishwasher” (Consumerism in the 1920s). Because many people worry about their appearance and weight, a weight loss pill advertisement convinced people by saying, “Don’t you realize that countless people have found an easy way to fight fat?” and even “Note how slenderness reigns today.” (Consumerism in the 1920s) Widespread advertising and different tactics to try and sell something was unprecedented during that decade. Never before did consumers want to buy stock and credit and companies spend so much effort for advertisements. The twenties are also known to be “roaring” because time was spent admiring motion pictures, following along with sports, and listening to music. The first movie with sound was the Jazz Singer but before, sound for movies was provided with instruments playing live and subtitles revealing plots. Baseball, boxing, and other sports were also followed closely now. Babe Ruth, also known as the Sultan of Swat, was not seen as just a great athlete, but even a national hero. Jack Dempsey was also an idolized boxer and the “Red Grange” was also a widely known college football player. Completely new hobbies, forms of entertainment, and lifestyles shows how the twenties are deemed as the most radical

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