Teenagers In The 1950's

The 1950s in America saw the rise of a distinct social group known as “teenagers”, who were previously unheard of. This group grew up in an environment considered to be “luxurious” by the rest of the world mainly due to the increased affluence and autonomy to pursue their own interests leisurely in a post-war American society of economic growth and stability. As a result, this decade saw teenagers engaging in a new culture that deviated from the present one, where the popularisation of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Elvis Presley as well as adopting new social behaviours were deemed to be rebellious by adults. Nonetheless, it is important to consider that it was not solely rebellion that shaped the American teenager as they also displayed conformity by …show more content…
As a result, adults utilized ‘rebellion’ with a negative connotation to comprehend and classify the behaviours and culture of teenagers. This was exacerbated by the media which “fixed on the image of the urban juvenile as a switchblade brandishing menace” , therefore creating a ‘moral panic’ in American society that problematized these teenagers. An example is the demonization of Rock ‘n’ Roll which was “everything that middle-class parents feared – elemental, savage, and dripping with sexuality” , and subsequently the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’, Elvis Presley. In the eyes of the adults, widespread teenage idolization of Presley represented an act of rebellion because they were seen to be adopting the negative qualities, such as vulgar movements and hyper-sexuality, that his music and performances promoted. Moreover, fashion trends like denim jeans, slicked-back hair and leather jackets were also associated with rebellion as it was an attire atypical of what adults expected teenagers to don. By labelling teenagers ‘rebellious’, adults and the media as external factors contributed to the understanding of how rebellion shaped American teenagers. Similarly, the teenagers who were shaped by rebellion intrinsically is exemplified by the rise of teenage crimes committed by juvenile delinquents where “fights among gang members, vandalism, car theft and random violence were reported in the newspaper every day.” For instance, FBI statistics in the 1950s revealed that 58.5% of burglary and 32.2% of rapes were committed by teenagers under 21. These startling figures highlight how rebellion shaped American teenagers into harmful citizens of society. Ultimately, rebellion largely shaped American teenagers as it was intrinsically motivated, demonstrated by juvenile