What is the difference between 1950's Soft Furnishings and today's Soft Furnishings?
The 1950s and today have changed so much. In just 60 years ago,
we have advance so much, we don't even remember half of the old
electronics used then. Most of our generation as kids still don't
understand what the typewriter was used for.
Technology has had some major advancements- things that we don't
even think about today like cell phones, tv, internet, movies. Most
entertainment was still done by radio. Another thing that would be
majorly different would be international relationships. 1950 was
during the cold war when most Americans feared a Soviet nuclear
attack. Americans today may fear terrorism, but nothing compared to
what it seems to have been like in the Cold War. Communism was also
a big scare, and was actually termed the "Red Scare" many people
feered it creeping into our government system.
There was far less industry, higher unemployment, more violence
in schools, more children being dumped in daycare rather than being
raised by their parents, more divorce. A morbid obsession with
health and safety, more and more petty regulations about what
people can and cannot do. Children less likely to be out and about
on their own. people more sedentary, going everywhere by car rather
than walking or taking buses or riding bikes.
Many modern conveniences they didn't have in the 1950s,
computers, DVDS, CDs, mobile phones etc. Far more TV stations than
were availabe in the 50s. In the UK, the variety of food available
in the shops vastly wider and more varied than it would have been
in the 50s. More supermarkets and chain stores, fewer small
independent shops.
Some occupations that were not considered suitable for women in
the 50s are now allowed. it would probably surprise 50s visitors to
see lady firefighters and soldiers, for example. Far more women
combining marriage with a career, not considered a desirable choice
in the 50s.
The vast majority of women work. Food is much cheaper, but rent
and mortgages are higher. The average person today is far more
informed. Today's society is centered around children/teens. It WAS
NOT in the 50s. In the 50s, middle-class status could be maintained
without a college education. Today, you practically need a B.A. to
answer phones! And even in schools, they allowed students to
smoke.
On a technical note. The sets of the 50's were all manual tube
sets. You actually had to get off your duff to change channels, and
sound levels, even fine tuning was manually done. Unless you were
one of the lucky few to be able to afford the wired remote Zenith
called "Lazy Bones". The sets were very inefficient with their use
of power. Most TV sets were a piece of furniture. All sets were
black and white until 1955, and color broadcast did not happen
until the early 60's.
When the set broke down, you called the neighborhood repair man
to come to your home and fix it. We kept the set running for as
much as 20 years since it was cheaper to do that than to buy
another.
Now, we have infra-red remote with digital tuning and surround
sound. We have high definition, and digital broadcast. The sets are
all solid state, NO TUBES even the CRT (picture tube) is becoming
obsolete. All sets are automatcally fine tuned and automatically
monitored for color accuracy. The "console TV" has been a thing of
the past since 1999-2000. You have to buy a separate stand for it
now. Newer sets have a lot more features, while being less
expensive. (again due to solid state and computer controls). The
miniaturization of the circuitry has all but eliminated the
repairman being able to do a house call. If the set is a 25" (used
to be considered a big screen) or smaller, when it breaks, you just
throw it out and buy another.
The technical aspect of things today's TVs have a much higher
video bandwidth limit due to being solid state and using modern
components meaning that they can display higher video signal
frequencies. Higher frequencies equal sharper edge detail such as
going directly from black to white. The bandwidth limit is also the
reason that up till now all TVs have been interlaced meaning that
they scan lines. Kids today would not like the kind of TVs in the
1950s because it was all black in white whereas today, its all
color. We, as a generation, didn't grow up with black and white TV.
The kids then did. So that's another big reason why we are a lot
diffrenet.
The clothes, themes, and styles in the 1950s are different
today, too.
