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Post by dacre raphael lethe on Jun 2, 2011 20:50:01 GMT -5
In the 1920’s, the economy was booming after the war. World War I had left most of Europe in ruins, economically and spiritually. The United States however was almost unaffected. It became a prosperous time and one of celebration for the people of America. The fashions and fads that dominated society were influenced by the vibrant youth of the country. Prohibition was initiated and also removed in the 1920’s. Self-expression became the theme of the era as people began breaking away from society’s boundaries. The automobile became common in the 20’s, allowing more independence for the common person.
The automobile improved the transportation of everyday life. It no longer became necessary to live so close to your workplace and this pushed more demand on the automobile companies to create more cars. Although the first automobile was created in 1866, by Richard Dudgeon, it ran on steam and was exponentially slower than the oil powered engines of the 20th century. With Henry Ford’s Model T, the demand for his car rose. It wasn’t long before the Model T could be described as the typical family car. Many families were able to afford them as well. In 1908 the price for a Model T was $850 which is equivalent to $20,709 today. By the 1920’s, the car had dropped down to $290 (equivalent to $3,289 today), due to increasing the efficiency of assembly line techniques. By 1918 nearly all cars driven were Model T’s.
There were both negative and positive effects that the Automobile had on this time. Rural Americans could drive freely where they pleased and even live farther away from their jobs. They no longer had to catch a three hour train at a specific time and work around the schedules of them. Urban Americans could drive across the country or even just into the hustle and bustle of the cities and live their sinful and rebellious lives. On the other hand, many families began to fall apart because of the increased sense of personal freedom that the automobiles brought. People could suddenly fulfill their desires and travel or simply leave and do as they pleased.
Consumerism is a popular way to describe the American mindset during the 1920’s. When humans equate the purchasing of material goods and consumption of those goods as their own feeling of happiness, consumerism has occurred. The automobile was a symbol of your social status and one that was “cool”. People’s selfish desires attribute to consumption. People want and they pursue. The modern convenience brought new troubles to America. The traditional American beliefs and traditions were disregarded and buried. The ease of escape of one’s problems led to the increased businesses in the city. People who ran from their problems or tried to escape would take their money to a place that gave them satisfaction.
The automobile provided the perfect way for people to socialize. One could easily get in the car and drive 10 minutes to a café and have coffee with a friend at noon or even at nine in the evening. Walking no longer would become the primary system of transportation if you couldn’t afford a horse’s maintenance. Fast paced cities would be filled with the life and energy of the people all through the day and night.
Automobiles also brought immense economic prosperity. The construction of highways and roads created jobs for people, which poured the public funding right into the economy. The overall efficiency and productivity left most Americans with a lot of time for entertainment and recreation. What better way to build the economy than to have money and free time?
Along with the creation of the automobile came suburbs. Suburbs were originally created to separate the rich from the “urban poor”. This highly appealed to the middle class, who always desire to push towards the top. Suburbs were created so that people could live outside the city and work in the city. People could easily live out of the way of businesses and pollution from factories and still work there. They placed a family sense within a community, creating stronger family ties and allowing for the picture perfect image of a family to be born.
By the mid 1920’s there were 22 million cars in America. As more and more people started driving automobiles, there of course would be more accidents. Since the automobile was relatively a new concept and simply viewed as an ease of transportation, there were not very many rules to being able to drive one. Today we have rules, laws and processes that we all must go through in order to drive. Because people had so much extra time, people could leisurely drink and then drive home or to a friend’s house to chat some more. There were often drunk drivers and some people who just shouldn’t drive. People were often killed in these collisions and became victims of the lack of safety.
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Post by bad spongerbob on Oct 5, 2011 11:12:56 GMT -5
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Post by xmystickingdomX on Oct 24, 2011 5:33:09 GMT -5
A clean slice on new ice. I build up rhythm, enjoying the feel of wind whipping across my face. It carries with it the scent of old rubber, hockey players and their sweat: an odor I've come to love. I turn, preparing, the careful bend of a knee about to decide my fate. In a second I've done it, defying gravity with an airborne spin that just feels natural. One spin passes, its half passes, and the axel must return to the ground. That it does, but instead of finding myself touching the lower spikes of my figure-skates to the ground for a solid landing, I find myself splayed out on what luckily makes itself a giant cold-pack. I get up, start to sing once more and try again. There is no rush- I don't compete. I figure-skate purely for the freedom of it: the advancement of skill, the awareness of self.
A blue towel on clean floors. The bathroom is otherwise clean, and even smells of detergent flowers. Still, that one towel makes me wonder. I shrug, pinning the last layer of my friend's sari. Her mother checks over my work, her smile speaking approval where her questionable English could not. The dressing room is buzzing with excitement, filled to the brim with people, make-up and Peruvian candy. InvAsian, an Indian and Southeast Asian dance show, is about to take the stage for Cultural Diversity Day. I had helped to found InvAsian the year prior. Now, we could share the world's music with the entire school.
A spare glance at foreign sound. My cousin quickly moves her sight from my iPod to me in her confusion, taking out the earbud. She asks what language the song is in, so I tell her. We listen, her wanting me to whisper the English to each song. She asks what language my whole iPod is in. I begin to laugh, but something stops me. Even if
A bit of carpet in my hair. The fluff is easily removed, and I put my head back where it belongs. There is a great deal of shuffling around me, and I can spot the khaki shorts of the director flitting past among the herd. As I concentrate more on his movements, his voice comes to me more clearly in the hubbub. He's told the steadycam to focus more on the front row of actors this time- that would be me. 'Diamond Ruff', title character, laughs loudly, and I lose the director's voice. The indie film scene was going well, if chaotically.
A new girl on the scene. My hands draw back from the keyboard as I contemplate this addition. She fits well into the cast, but her motives are unclear.
A new thought on old musings. We flip to the next slide, but instead of another provoking moral question there is simply a clip from The Matrix. Philosophy club goes on as usual, with far too many cookies and opinions to share. I lean back, my head filled with thoughts of Thoreau, Kant and even possibly thoughts of the rehearsal I have to attend after this.
A pale spotlight on worn stage. An oversized moon still glows on the cyclorama, proof that the lighting kids had gone on break with the rest of the cast. I've stayed behind to put away my script, but the empty stage draws me.
A clear mark on new ground. Creation and adaptation are the epitome of greatness to me.
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Post by dacre raphael lethe on Oct 27, 2011 5:43:40 GMT -5
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