Role of the American Teen in the 50’s and Now

The Role of the Teenager in America Then and Now

Teenagers in the 1950's were a lot different from the teenagers today. It was a beginning of a transformation into what they are today. The influence of teenagers on America’s economy has changed greatly, Teenagers have gone from not being able to speak their mind to freely expressing almost anything they feel. It seems large companies are now only focusing on teens, whereas before they had all but ignored them. Their advertising is directed toward teens in order to get their business right from the start of their life. Teenagers’ roles in America is different now than it was in the 1950's.

Yesterday’s teenagers were a lot more tame than today’s teens. In the 1950's a teenager’s life was much more strict. They understood that rules were put into place for a reason and were not to be broken. Teens were taught proper etiquette in school classes. The girls were taught the proper ways to sit and stand, dance, and even what to say at the end of a date. Everything was structured around being polite. Kids of the 1950's were always told, “children are to be seen and not heard.” Teens were not supposed to talk back to their parents. This saying can also be applied in a political sense. Teens were not allowed to express their opinions in public, especially if it was seen as wrong. Teens were taught values and morals. The golden rule was posted in every home: “do unto others as would be done unto you.” Teens respected authority which meant the police, presidents, teachers, and their parents. Teens were encouraged to join Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as these programs also taught important life lessons. The TV shows of the era also reflected the morals of the society. I Love Lucy was a favorite of every teen of the time. Shows like Roy Rogers, Lassie, and Davy Crockett showed that the guys who did the right thing always won. The morals of the 1950's teenager are greatly higher than today’s teens’ morals.

The influence of the teen on America in the 1950's was minuscule. Kids weren’t held in the spotlight as “America’s next generation,” the couldn’t even vote yet. The voting age was still 21, so no political figures even tried to influence the younger generation. Teens didn’t have that much money to spend. The average teen jobs of the 1950's would have been babysitting for the girls, and helping out on a farm or taking up in the family business for boys. The traditional place to put their earnings would have been to help out the family, but most teens used it to go to drive-in theaters and restaurants. The lifestyle of a teenager up until the mid-1950's was kept on track by their parents, for the most part. The fashion of the 1950's was conservative. The colors of plaid, black and white were most popular. There was minimal skin showing; the girls’ skirts came down past their knees. The hairstyles for guys were generally short and close cut. These things changed somewhat as rock and roll came into play. Rock and roll music changed the American teen in the 1950's. Elvis Presley came onto the scene with his a new style of clothes, wild hair and sideburns, and his signature form of dancing. Once teens got a glimpse of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, it was all over. Soon sideburns were the norm, looser clothing that allowed for more movement when you were dancing was worn. The casual leather jacket was the new “cool,” but only if your collar was turned up. In 1955, Rebel Without A Cause, starring James Dean came out. This movie identified with teens’ feelings of being confused about family morals and rules of the time. Soon, TV advertisers caught on with the trend and recognized teens. They knew most teenagers were impulsive buyers and capitalized on it. This marked the beginning of the major influence that teens have on America today. Now the future generations could be seen in the making.

The teenager today is more influential on America then they have ever been. It seems that America is run by corporations, huge conglomerations consisting of many companies. These corporations recognize the fact that, if they catch a teen at a young enough age, they can