From the early seventies through 1986–87, private materialism as a life goal increased greatly in importance among youth, goals relating to family life increased somewhat, public interest concerns diminished modestly, and the goal of personal self-fulfillment declined sharply. Accompanying this shift in values was a change in young people's college majors and career plans toward those leading to higher paying jobs and a marked increase in the attractiveness of working in large corporations. Jobs offering money and status became more preferred relative to those with opportunities for self-fulfillment or public service. Support grew for capitalist institutions such as profit making and advertising. At the same time, there was a retreat from political involvement, and a conservative shift in political beliefs. Explanations of the shift in values in terms of the impact on the young of major political and social events or the emergence of a feeling of economic insecurity among the young are not supported by the evidence. Nor are a number of hypotheses relating to changes in young people's family structure or social ization experience. The shift in values of the young does, however, apparently correspond to a similar change in the values of adults generally and, thus, may reflect changes in the values transmitted to young people as they were growing up. We speculate that the shift in values among adults was, in turn, caused by a growing feeling of economic deprivation in the post-1973 period as real wage rates declined and material aspirations continued to rise. In the last few years, the shift in the life goals of the young appears to have ended and may even have started to reverse, but young people today are still much different from those 15 years ago.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
1"On or about December 1910," Virginia Woolf once said, "human character changed." This hyperbole contains a kernel of truth. Around the turn of the century a fundamental cultural transformation occurred within the educated strata of Western capitalist nations. In the United States as elsewhere, the bourgeois ethos had enjoined perpetual work, compulsive saving, civic responsibility, and a rigid morality of selfdenial. By the early twentieth century that outlook had begun to give way to a new set of values sanctioning periodic leisure, compulsive spending, apolitical passivity, and an apparently permissive (but subtly coercive) morality of individual fulfillment. The older culture was suited to a production-oriented society of small entrepreneurs; the newer culture epitomized a consumption-oriented society dominated by bureaucratic corporations.…
- 18531 Words
- 75 Pages
Powerful Essays -
I. a. b. Intro Academic summary: In “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood,” Leon Botstein argues that the “American high school is obsolete and should be abolished.” He explains that this obsolescence is because high school does not represent the way real life works, that real life is not a popularity contest dominated by the best athletes like the hierarchies that he claims exist among students and teachers in high schools.…
- 740 Words
- 4 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
As a result of the baby boom in the 1950s, there was a rise in youth population who were dissatisfied, discontent and they rebelled against group norms. They were born in prosperity. “The counter culture of the World War II baby boom refers to the cultural and social movement that emerged in the United States and England between 1954 and 1974 with its height between 1965 and 1972” (Richardson 8). Parents of the youth have experienced difficult times during war and depression. They worked hard after the war and were successful in creating luxurious, good and safe atmosphere for their children. So the youth who were born amidst prosperity and growth with new housing, automobiles, toys and security from their parents felt entitlement. The…
- 208 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
People sometimes reminisce on the past with nostalgia, remembering the “Good Old Days” and how values and ethics have seemed to disappear. In the 1950’s, like in no other decade, people became homeowners; prosperity was plentiful and bad times were thought to be something of the past. Capitalism was working and it was working well, to have a better life than one’s parents was only matter of willingness. Clearly it is evident why “Americans chose the 1950’s than any other single decade as the best time for children to grow up.” (Pg32) In the essay “What We really Miss About the 1950’s” Stephanie Coontz has made several observations that “The Golden Age” was not brought by a thriving free-market competition but by large government spending to provide jobs and benefits to millions of Americans that which resembled a socialistic nation.…
- 497 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
A pivotal decade in America’s past was undoubtably the 1920’s. Many inventions helped further the advancement of America and eased the work load off of many home owners. This allowed for more free time and enjoyment in life following World War I. One of the effects of this additional free time was the furtherance of the adolescence. The traditional etiquette and morals were forsaken for new fashion trends, new stereotypes, and the new generation of teenagers. These contemporary ideas allowed the younger generation to separate themselves from the conservative and law abiding parents. They were finally allowed to express what they wanted to say and feel.…
- 852 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
These forces are crowding out a more meaningful set of values centered on family, responsibility, and community. People do not need to repudiate material gain, but it is important to have a greater sense of balance in their lives. There is reason for deep concern about America's future. The American Dream is increasingly defined by purchasing, material gain, and by "keeping up with the Joneses" rather than by a sense of opportunity. This behavior is unhealthy and can turn destructive. The children absorb the lessons of their consumer culture and already many feel that the youth are too focused on buying and consuming…
- 1255 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
A B S T R A C T History teaches us that it is through the family that new generations are equipped with ethics and values regarding work. The advent of bourgeois society, with its characteristic openness towards other social classes, appears to have relegated the promotion of working values by families to the background. This study sets out to test the hypothesis according to which the family continues to maintain an important role in the transmission of working values. Based on data from the Work Importance Study (Super and Sverko, 1995: Life Roles, Values, a n d Careers, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass), two subgroups were compared (working adults, and high school and university students), considered as representing two different generations (youths vs adults). Some results from cluster anatysis show how substantial similarity exists between adults and youths in terms of ideal values, expressing 'what would be important in an ideal world'. The difference between the subgroups lies in expectations (termed 'expected values') relating to 'what would be important in my actual work environment'. Here, relatively more important values for young people are relatively less important for working adults. Another result presented concerns the relationship existing betiveen value typobgies (classed into six categories) and personal character associated with birth order. What emerges is that the only children are prevalently the 'tough type', while the first bom, considered by some to be custodians of family traditions, tum out to be more independent than the second or third bom, identified above all by their calm and sociable characters.…
- 6436 Words
- 26 Pages
Powerful Essays -
There are many factors that have contributed to the changes that occurred in young peoples’ lives during the 1950s and the 1960. During these period factors such as family time and roles all made bigger changes then imaginable. During this time, the meaning of a teenager was became widely known as young people aged fifteen up into their early twenties.…
- 1115 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
The youth reacted to the status quo by changing their conventional ways. To start with, there was a new “baby boom” generation. Women throughout decided to marry more often and give birth to more children. To celebrate the female anatomy, the “cult of domesticity” became a custom. The newborns required certain products that created demand. Since there was more money available in the family and a greater need for products, consumption rapidly increased. These youths grew to be teenagers where they see an abrupt change. Change in their dress, where they eat, how they travel and what they watched. People started dressing in gray flannel suits, poodle skirts, shirt dresses, saddle shoes and others. Like no other times, teens drove cars and headed to fast food takeout place such as McDonalds. The economy was the main cause for these controversial advances.…
- 987 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The phrase "you only live once" is commonly attributed to Mae West,[1][2] but variations of the phrase have been in use for over 100 years,[3] including as far back as (the German equivalent of) "one lives but once in the world" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in his 1774 play Clavigo[4] and as the title of a waltz, "Man lebt nur einmal!" ("You Only Live Once!") by Johann Strauss II in 1855.…
- 935 Words
- 4 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Some people think that young people should follow traditions of the society, while other people think that young people should be free to behave as individuals. Discuss both views and give your opinion.…
- 288 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Youth are back bone to the nation.They can change the future of the society with their well being and courageous behavior. They are here to show us that which we have not been willing to look at within ourselves.Unfortunately today we find the youth those who are more interested in other places witch are not useful to them as well as nation.They chooses to spend their days doing drugs and playing video games. they spends their nights partying and living it up, so to speak.More and more young men of this age group are sitting at home in front of their televisions playing games all day instead of bettering themselves or going to work. They have no vision and if they do have dreams they do not have the drive to make any attempt at achieving them.…
- 2154 Words
- 9 Pages
Good Essays -
The essay is a study of role of youth to make country a corruption free nation. It is an effort to give concrete view point on the power of the integrated youth of nation who are future of the country and whose efforts are decisive for country’s progress.…
- 2369 Words
- 10 Pages
Powerful Essays -
We are used to thinking of traditions as something old and stable, whereas the creative forces of people are directed towards the making of “new” forms of art and music. Nevertheless in our view, and according to our experience, new forms should not be sought in a cultural vacuum, without any connection to the past experiences of people and societies. Similarly, the “old” musics should not be approached with the attitude of preserving or mimicking other people’s practices. We believe that the past is important because in the great musics that were created we can sense a reBlection of the creators’ spiritual insights and wider understandings of the nature of man and his place in the world. The passing on of this intuitive knowledge, through the practice of music, the sharing of experiences, the process of studying and teaching not as something that happens only within the school walls, but as part of everyday life, is what animates Neda not only to create, but also to teach their music and perform it in live concerts.…
- 789 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
A. The youth can play a vital role in the implementation of elimination of terrorism. If the energy, intelligence and resources of youth are fully and properly utilized the country will prosper.…
- 982 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays