Alcoholism in the 1950s

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that life during the decade of the 1950s was not as tranquil as it appears to have been on the surface. The author identifies four causes of alcoholism: Conformity in a society that glamorized drinking, the post WWII fears of the Cold War and the H-Bomb, the turmoil of the "Red" scare created by McCarthyism and the isolation created by the relocation to the suburbs. The author concludes that the nostalgia for the 1950s must be balanced by an understanding of both the good as well as the bad of that era.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Cocktails & Cocktail Parties
Hollywood and Alcohol
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
Alcohol - A Serious Business
The Causes
Societal Conformity
The Cold War/Fear of Nuclear War
Red Scare
Relocation from City to Suburbs
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The 1950's witnessed a renewal of interest in the cocktail party as such. "The most popular decade was probably the 1950's for cocktail parties with the help of Hollywood's glamorization." Proof of this can be seen in the renewal of interest in the cocktail shaker that had gone in and out of style over the course of history. These shakers could now be found in the new suburban homes that had been built with finished basements (called rec rooms) which were complete with bars. Of course these old fashioned shakers had been modernized 1950's style by coming equipped "with battery-powered stirring devices ... electric blenders [also] became popular; drop in some ice, add the alcohol of your choice, a package of 'redi-mix,' [and] flick a switch....". But simple drinks were also acceptable - consider the fact that the screwdriver (orange juice and vodka mixed) was invented in the 1950s."

More papers on Alcoholism in the 1950s:

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