1946-1965:

This is what people refer to as “1950s America.” People were generally just happy to have gotten through a rough period, including the Great Depression and World War 2. Although the civil rights movement would start during this period, at this time most were content with a comfortable life. Most people followed social norms (although there were the “beatnicks”). It was also marked by the expansion of suburbia and the adaptation of television as a new means of information transmission and entertainment.

1966-1976:

In this time period a counterculture movement emerged. People began to question societal expectations. The civil rights and women’s rights movements would make the most progress during this time period. However, it was also associated with “white flight” and rising crime rates in urban areas. This was the time when most people transitioned from factory work to office jobs and our current work culture was largely created.

1977-1995:

This is the era of the “YUPPIE.” After a period of economic stagnation, a renewed focus on business, deregulation, hard work and efficiency created a level of economic prosperity beyond even the wildest dreams of prior generations. However, this was the time period when industrial areas like the Rust Belt and the North of England experienced decline due to automation and globalization. It was the time period when the West won the Cold War and the U.S. led world order emerged. Cable T.V. emerged as the primary form of information and entertainment and corporations became bigger and more powerful.

1996-2007:

A lot of the themes from the Neo-Liberal era persisted into this era. The main feature of this era is the internet becoming available to most people in the rich world. By this era, most people in the West had access to cable television, worked in the service sector, at “office jobs” and adapted some internet-based methods of communication, primarily email. After decades where most people preferred to live in the suburbs, this time period was associated with a renewed interest in city living. It was relatively prosperous and continued a materialistic trend from the previous era.

2008-now:

This time period is associated with a feeling of insecurity not seen in decades (following the 2008 market crash) and the adaptation of smart phones and social media. People spent more and more time in front of their devices, leading to isolation, loneliness and division. The cost of big-ticket life expenses, such as housing, education and health care increased rapidly leading to a great deal of stress for many. It is also associated with some rethinking around things like work culture and a greater level of acceptance for different lifestyles, most notably the LGBTQ community.

Coming Up:

What’s next? That depends on what we do now. The global pandemic brought us to a new level of fear, division and isolation. However, now we have a choice. We can chose to continue to focus on all that made 2020 such a painful year… What made us afraid. Why we need to control each others’ behaviors, words and even thoughts. Why everything is someone else’s fault. Or, we can chose a new focus… On reconnecting. On working on ourselves. On accepting people as who they are. On shared experiences and on what makes the world a beautiful and magical place.