The Ghost of 1955: Why the "Golden Era" is a Lie
I understand the impulse. I really do. And as someone who believes deeply in the progress of our communities, that is a hard thing to admit. When you look at the grinding fatigue of the modern economy, why shouldn’t this generation crave an Eisenhower-esque lifestyle? Who wouldn't want the version of America we see on old television reruns? The dream of a single income easily supporting an entire household. The predictable annual vacation. The neighborhood where everyone knows your name, where crime doesn't cross the property line, and where you don't spend every waking hour worrying about your kids. It sounds beautiful. The problem is that it is complete and utter bullshit. The idea that the 1950s was a flawless, conflict-free paradise of domestic bliss is a historical hallucination. Every single problem we are wrestling with today existed then. The reason older Boomers, including the President, who constantly heralds a return to a "Golden Age", honestly beli...