14 Comically Outdated Beliefs From the ’50s and ’60s
The way we see the world is shaped by the myths and systems of the past, often without question. Even as society advances, both culturally and technologically, our perspective can remain outdated and marred by old beliefs.
Today, many talk about the 1950s and 1960s as a time when things were simpler. People were nicer, things weren’t as expensive, and there was less stress despite the massive cultural shifts and scientific and technological advancements. This may be because of the deep-seated stigmas and social limitations, especially against women and marginalized groups, society clung to at the time.
Outdated ideas about gender and race are only a few beliefs from the ’50s and ’60s that didn’t age well, however. Here are a few more post-war ways of life that can be left in the past.
Wrapping Babies
We don’t mean to diss DuPont de Nemours, Inc., but they weren’t in the right headspace in the 1950s. Shortened to DuPont, the company advertised cellophane products in a notorious ad depicting an infant wrapped in a transparent sheet. A few advertisements featured different scenarios, including fully clothed twins posing for a photo.
“The best things in life come in Cellophane,” one DuPont advertisement acknowledged. This quote supplements the illustration of a stork holding up a Cellophane-wrapped infant. Babies are precious little humans and are certainly gifts in our lives, maybe just not in terms of wrapping — at least, not in plastic wrap.
Child Discipline
Hitting our children doesn’t solve many issues, though plenty of authority figures believed otherwise in the early 20th century. Everyone from the school nun to your infuriated father would wield a ruler or shoe for a due whooping. In truth, it’s a problem that’s persisted for an infinity.
However, futile violence aimed at children is now frowned upon. In truth, it’s a human instinct to protect children from danger, not administer it. Discipline through physical pain is a trauma not many can cope with.
The (Supposed) Devil’s Music
The older folks weren’t having a ball when rock ‘n’ roll blared through the radio stations in the 1950s. Loud guitars, juicy lyrics, and groovy substances kept the kids swinging and in tune with their emotions and insurgent principles. It felt immoral to some, deeming rock as the “Devil’s music” according to just about everyone who hated the music.
As history continues to inform us of rebellions, we fondly remember the success of rock music. It’s a music genre we continue to listen to today across various sub-categories, progressing that passion for jams and far out messages about love, action, and being human.
Single People Are Sick
No one will judge you, except maybe a relative, if you choose a single life. The moral standard of the 1950s consisted of strict marital arrangements and expectations, however. As such, if you’re a single romantic in the 1950s, you’re a no-good dropout.
The stigmas surrounding single individuals thus shifted in the following decade. With flower power and counterculture movements influencing society’s youth, many looked past the idea of marriage. Instead, the rebellious embraced a sense of moral panic when the adults disagreed with their loud uprisings.
Firearms in School
The sight of a firearm in a school is enough to send anyone off into a rage. With the 1999 Columbine shooting stirring immense fear in American educational institutions, a gun became a symbol of destruction. The story plays out differently when discussing firearm control in the 1950s.
Instead of deeming guns banned in schools, instructors taught children how to handle them in the first half of the 20th century. Many New York public schools included shooting clubs until a certain point in the 1960s. As weapon stigmas constantly shifted, so did school regulations.
Seatbelts, Who Needs Them?
Buckle up or pay up, as one modern ad informs regarding driving and seatbelt laws. We should always wear our seatbelts, no matter how short or far our drives are, but many didn’t like this standard. Before Wisconsin implemented the first state laws to enforce seatbelt regulations, seatbelts were optional.
Many drivers didn’t see the importance of seatbelts when getting behind the wheel before the 1960s. Our three-point seatbelts didn’t exist until 1949, when Volvo safety engineer Nils Bohlin created the system. When Bolin’s creation wasn’t around, everyone adopted a ride-or-die conviction a specific car-oriented action film franchise would admire.
The Booze Is Loose
Consuming alcohol and operating a motor vehicle spelled terrible results for everyone involved, though some believed it wasn’t consequential. Almost all Americans owned a car due to a couple of automobile booms in the early 20th century. When World War II ended, Americans hooked themselves onto a sweet flip-top.
As Americans celebrated the war’s conclusion, the roadways were the site of countless fatalities due to intoxicated driving. Specific laws introduced blood alcohol readings, yet incredible strides came from Robert F. Borkenstein’s Breathalyzer invention. This implementation alone propelled drunk driving laws, as well as expected grunts from suspected intoxicated drivers.
Smoking on Planes
It’s widely established that smoking indoors isn’t the preferred way of enjoying a cigarette. We take our smoke breaks outside, but this didn’t matter if you rode a plane in the 1950s and 1960s. Smoking while flying was a common occurrence, whether a baby sat next to you or not.
Luckily, airplanes today don’t allow for smoking of any kind. This push came to light with the Association of Flight Attendants’ eagerness to ban smoking. There’s no need to save our breath now, especially with the immense number of laws forbidding indoor smoking.
A Puff for the Pregnant Mom
Cigarettes, and tobacco in general, aren’t the most beneficial fixes available to the public. Although today’s laws lean toward banning them altogether, they were once popular among pregnant women and doctors. Before lung cancer diagnosis came to mind, cigarette companies happily encouraged doctors to advertise their death sticks.
Of course, it’s now basically common sense not to smoke when you’re pregnant. Not only does it harm the growing fetus, but it also could cause birth defects. No parent wishes for any harm to come to their children, but cigarette companies could care less when equipped with dollar signs for eyes.
The Woman’s Right To Strive
The women’s suffrage movement aimed to acquire rights for women, but a few more hurdles stood in their way. While World War II proved women were far more capable than household duties, the 1950s continued limiting the female population. Women belonged in the kitchen, the bathroom, and every facility in between, while men worked long hours. The nuclear family famously portrayed this idea.
Though misogyny persists today, women have garnered incredible progress throughout the last two centuries. Women can vote, fight, drive, work, and sleep as they indisputably please.
Moreover, women can even lead countries onto new paths, with Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum winning the presidential election in 2024.
Cutting Your Hair Can Harm the Baby
In the 1950s and 1960s, some believed pregnant women should avoid cutting their hair. The conception fell behind some radical views that a haircut would harm the unborn child. This myth endured for years until experts started debunking the fake truths surrounding haircuts and pregnancies.
Sure, you’re totally fine inhaling burning tobacco, but you couldn’t get yourself a trim? We fail to see the benefits of smoking and pregnant women together. Thankfully, others did, too, along the way. Now, it’s best to leave a pregnant woman to do whatever they please, even when it involves a cosmetic change.
All Toys Are Safe for Children
When Mattel introduced the Thingmaker in 1964, it paved the way for curious young minds to experiment with craft molding. In addition to Barbie, Ken, and Hot Wheels, Mattel gave children an exposed hot plate and vicious fumes. The intention is to generate alien bugs using a substance dubbed the “Plastigoop.”
Kids will be kids; some wouldn’t adhere to the Thingmaker’s instructions on producing Creepy Crawlers. While the toy has improved over the years, we can’t forgive its Creepy Crawler origins and bizarre Plastigoop inclusion. We’re better off playing with our Barbies.
Exercise With the Vibrating Belt Machine
We’re all looking for ways to lose fat and get a workout, yet time is short and dear. This is why some companies promoted the use of the vibrating belt machine. The device has a vibrating belt designed to jiggle your body and burn fat. If you watch shows like I Love Lucy and The Simpsons, there’s a chance you’ve seen this machine parodied.
As one could assume, the vibrating belt machine did not work. It fizzled out by the end of the 1960s, with no one discovering mint results. It may be a lame design, but it’s an ingenious one we love seeing in movies and television shows.
Anything Goes in Jell-O
Jell-O is a tasty treat for many, though some culinary enthusiasts believe anything could go into the substance. While other desserts are commonly stored in Jell-O, several dishes prompted the inclusion of fruits and vegetables in the gelatin product. The Joy of Cooking famously featured a few recipes revolving around gelatin desserts and uncanny mixtures.
It’s fun to experiment in the kitchen, yet there’s no need to accessorize Jell-O with a couple of undeserved additions. Today, we see Jell-O as a dessert, not as a gateway to introduce flavorful (or less) combinations.
