Article: How the Youth Culture of the 1. Reinvigorated America Following the destruction caused by World War I, it became obvious that the United States needed to rebuild itself. Many long- held pre- war values and customs seemed irrelevant now, perhaps more so than ever before. Because of this, the youth of America began rebelling against many of the norms of their parents' generation as they strove to create something uniquely their own. Eventually, this new youth culture of the 1. Even adults played a part, with some attempting to imitate the new trends while others found themselves repulsed by them. But whatever adults of the time felt, they could not deny that the new world created by their country's youth was having a drastic effect on the American population as a whole. Though the defining characteristics of the movement may appear now to be fairly simple to pin down, the youth culture of the 1. America's older traditions in such a way that a complex movement was created, reinvigorating the overall American population. The personas of the flapper and sheik for example personified the .
Flappers and sheiks were the major trendsetters of the time, taking cues from films and other mediums of popular culture, believing their parents' generation to be . They often would escape their houses in their cars to meet up with their peers, their equals. Though a cultural stereotype, such activity was often imitated not only by the youth but by adults as well who perceived the youth movement to be . What defined the youth culture in fact was constantly changing as trends shifted quite often. Popular culture was becoming a major force in American culture, and its youth now had new standards to keep up with in regards to popular music, fashion, dance crazes, and their appearance. Newspapers reported for example on which styles would take center stage in . Keeping up to date with so many fads required both time and money for the youths. Though the flapper and sheik represented the cultural ideal, very few youths embodied all characteristics of such personas despite constantly striving to assume such roles. Index International Design Exhibition. Annual trade exhibition for the textile, furniture and interior design and manufacturing industries.While it wanted to take on the characteristics of the sheiks and flappers, America's youth also attempted to balance these new waves of trends with older pre- war values and traditions. Literary portrayals of women for instance often struggled to achieve such a balance. Though the youth could date in their 2. Thus the definition of the youth culture exhibited much duplicity - - the youth . The youth culture gained particular momentum through advertising, with those living in cities most greatly affected by its influence since they were the ones exposed to billboards and newspaper ads daily. Typically, trends from movies would be extended by college students who then spread them to high school students who . Those participating in college culture came to be regarded as the . Women May Vote In 1920. Curtis, Edge, Elkins, Fall, Fernald, France. A world that has hitherto recognized only the power of feminine youth and beauty is. Create an account or log into Facebook. Connect with friends, family and other people you know. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates. Additionally, adults would often attempt to imitate the new fads and . On the opposite side of the spectrum, other adults found themselves disgusted and repulsed by these new trends of the youth, . One New York Times journalist remarked frankly that . Both perspectives fueled the population's obsession with the youth movement, contributing to its overbearing influence on the social culture of the country. The automobile in particular revolutionized the way that American youth socialized, bestowing upon youth both . It became easier than ever for people to get around, abandoning their seemingly out- of- touch parents, as they sped around town to visit and socialize with their friends. Additionally, the car provided privacy in the sense that the youth were no longer under the constant watchful eye of their parents like youth had been during the age- old traditional system of dating referred to as . The youth now had true independence thanks to the car, something teenagers constantly strove to attain as they matured but never attain the past so successfully. Movies, radio, advertising, and magazines popularized the idea of the flapper and the sheik, and also influenced the social conduct of the youth. From movies, people would learn what clothes were in fashion, a critical . Slang terms were also coined by movies - - the movie The Sheik from 1. In literature, feminism began to gain momentum as an actual movement. Motivated by the independent spirit of literary heroines, young women began to embrace this newfound sense of freedom and ambition. Though some disapproved, it became palpable that . The vast majority of the leading trends of the youth movement were established by popular culture. Sometimes the college culture would spread trends that they saw in movies and magazines, yet very often the way college students behaved would give popular culture itself new material. For example, many movies were based on university life, such as The Freshman and Brown of Harvard. As well, the magazine College Humor began to circulate, focusing . People began to follow college sports teams, especially football, and students often went to watch football games every week or two as a result of the additional leisure time allowed by their schools. The social side of football games proved an immensely important component of the youth movement giving rise to the cliche'd teenage obsession with popularity around this time. As college students began to use a rating- and- dating system, that is, a system of standards that evaluated people based on their social standings, it became clear that . Since college did not last forever, the youth could also take part in such superficial pastimes . Despite this, the image of the college student became more and more significant in the formation of the American youth identity. It successfully reinvigorated for example not only the youth of the country, but the entire population, a necessary step to take following World War I's destruction because in this way, the youth movement created a method for cultural evolution - - people now had the freedom to change the way life had previously been conducted in irrelevant war times. The youth now had more freedom and independence to socialize, allowing them to form a collective identity with their peers that captivated the nation. Additionally, gender roles were beginning to be re- defined, which paved the way for feminism to gain momentum. In this regard, it grew increasingly clear that many women possessed an . The idea that women were . The 1. 92. 0s youth movement thus presented the country with a quantity of new ideas that reshaped the standard American lifestyle. Yet these very same adults idolized them . However, this purchasable youthfulness was the watered- down version of the youth movement, the stereotype of the flapper and the sheik that actually found close to no root in reality. Women in particular found themselves faced with . Though they wanted to remain independent, many women still longed to settle down and start a family. Despite the fact that dating was becoming increasingly popular, . Though far more traditional than anything the flapper represents, the marriage system made it impossible to pigeonhole the youth culture as purely breaking ties from the pre- war era, their struggle to balance tradition with their new lifestyle adding yet another layer to the movement's complexity. Members of the youth movement could embrace their independence and rebelliousness, but still eventually come to understand that they needed to hold on to at least some traditional values. Though the youth movement may seem quite dated in the context of the modern world, today's world of 2. Chloe Lizotte is a student at Concord- Carlisle High School, Concord Massachusetts, class of 2. The Voice as well as music director of the school radio station WIQH. She writes a column on . From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in Twentieth- Century America. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2. Gotham's Daughters: Feminism in the 1.
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