Generational Criticism Those Darn Kids!!! Generational Criticism

Big Idea Americans experienced cultural conflicts as customs and values changed in the 1920’s.

1920’s Women continued to assert their independence, reject 19th century values, and demand the same freedoms as men Fashion, smoking cigarettes, drinking in public, and talking openly about sexual relations challenged the status quo

A Double Standard a set of principles that applies differently and usually more rigorously to one group of people or circumstances than to another (Merriam-Webster)

The Double Standard Women in the 1920’s began to reject what they saw as unfair treatment Famous Example Sexual Relations for Men and Women Still a double standard today?

Change in Dress Early 1900’s 1920’s

1950’s 1955: 15,000 letters are sent to Chicago rock stations accusing them of playing "dirty" records. Newspaper editorials promise that the stations will censor themselves of all controversial music, especially rhythm and blues - in other words, "black" music.

1950’s 1957: Elvis Presley performs on The Ed Sullivan Show and is filmed only from the waist up because his dancing is deemed “indecent.” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmljYkdr-w

1980’s The PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) is formed in Washington, DC by Tipper Gore, wife of then senator Al Gore. The PRMC’s primary focus is to convince record companies to monitor and rate artists’ releases with a system similar to the MPAA systems for movies. Frank Zappa is among the artists who testify before the United States Senate in hearings on the PMRC.

2008: Barack Obama on Sagging Pants “People should pull up their pants.”

Today? As a group think about 5 things of youth culture today that are probably not popular amongst most adults.