David Riesman, author of the controversial academic/pop culture book The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character, passed away. It’s an intriguing book, written in the 1950’s, at the heart of the suburban American ‘togetherness’, developing a labeling system for talking about the different types of neighbors and community relationships…. Fun sociology critiques of the American dream (and American neuroses). Given all of Putnam‘s critiques that seem to long for the 1950’s, i wonder if American culture was ever truly functional… ha!
You wonder if American [sic] culture was ever truly functional?
Wow.
The US is a naive and in many ways fortunate child of a culture…interestingly, i don’t think there really will ever be such a thing. By the time the US begins to mature, the concept of a US culture will be of diminishing relevance.
And yes, the US in the 1950’s was the best place on the planet (relatively speaking) for many of its citizens. But the reasons for that were mixed, many of which were downright horrific. It was also one of the largest flashes of optimism and hope in human history.