NationStates Jolt Archive


A good film about America

Kahta
05-02-2005, 02:10
This is a film from the 1950's speaking about how things really are in America, not some dream world. Watch the whole thing...

http://www.archive.org/movies/details-db.php?collection=prelinger&collectionid=scclam

I recomend the MPEG4 format, it works well.
Kahta
05-02-2005, 02:41
no one watched it? :confused:
Alien Born
05-02-2005, 02:43
It's 100+ meg,. 14 minutes in length, it takes time you know.
Alien Born
05-02-2005, 03:11
OK. I watched it now. What on earth makes you think that it is realistic in any sense. The working class American, the middle class American and the rich American are so stereotypical it is funny.
Some aspects that caught my attention:
Women: - wives and mothers only apparently.
Vertical movement: - only upwards. No mention of the possibilty of the Ames family losing their position.
Small town bigotry: - no change there, America or not.

How to succeed in life according to this film is to play your ascribed role, in the place you are. If you do not like that role then leave, go to the bright lights of the big city. There you will find success and a new role, but only there. It is a one way ticket.

I still find it strange that USA sociology insists on describing class in financial terms. Other cultures have much more complex means of ascribing class. Family tradition, Profession, Respect, Behaviour, Education all go into the mix, along with wealth. In the US it appears that only the almighty dollar counts, and only this has counted for half a century.
Kahta
05-02-2005, 03:44
I thought it was fairly accurate overall, apart from some things....

I wish I grew up then...