Speech

            The 1920’s were largely defined by a growing economy, a new mainstream culture, and the various reactions to that new culture.

            During this era, the American economy boomed. WWI left most of Europe’s industry and economy in shambles, leaving the U.S. as the only major industrial power in the west. New technologies and consumer goods, like radios and telephones, increased manufacturing and spending. The revolutions in the automobile industry made cars a ubiquitous product, and they needed to be met with the construction of new roads and houses, which boomed the construction industry. These increases in manufacturing and spending led extreme shifts in the culture of the decade.

            With all these new products to sell, advertisers adopted new tactics. In previous decades they simply would have told the consumer facts about the product. Now, they begin to market to specific audiences by convincing them that they’re identified by the products that they bought. This led to “consumer culture.” However, this culture of mass production produced a kind of uniformity, and those who didn’t fit in its image felt marginalized or pushed out.

However, rather than attempt to conform to societal norms, or break down cultural expectations, these groups often formed their own subcultures to combat the uniformity of society. Many artists of the “lost generation” were resistive of the new culture, and wrote novels criticizing the consumerist wave. They became known as the “disillusioned.” Meanwhile, African-Americans in Harlem began an artistic movement of music, art, and literature that both defined African-American culture and brought it to the attention of white consumers, which became known as the “Harlem Renaissance.” Rural Christians began to develop a stricter and more literal interpretation of their faith in response to the emergence of scientific theories that contradicted traditional religious principles. In addition to subcultures that emerged outside of mainstream consumer culture, the youth subculture emerged within it.

Due to a growing emphasis on education, school attendance grew. This phenomenon was combined with the widespread use of the automobile, which let kids be more separated from their parents, and the new advertising techniques led to youths defining themselves based on other youths rather than their parents. Not only did youths redefine themselves in this era, but women also developed new identities.

By now, a woman going to college was less of a spectacle, yet many professional women still lacked employment in many fields, and married women often had to sacrifice their careers for family. Conventional wisdom about a woman’s role in a family changed as new psychologists and sociologists developed new methods of child rearing. Also, rising availability in birth control, made possible mostly by female activists, led to changing ideas and perceptions of women in America.

            The 1920’s saw a huge variety of subcultures that emerged from the mainstream culture created by the strong economy of the era.