U.S. SOCIETY IN THE 1980'S AND 1990'S
This is a fairly straightforward topic. It can be separated into 4 parts:
As with any societal changes, the driver is technology. In this case, it was the rise of the use of Personal Computers, Mobile Phones and the Internet, and to a lesser extent, VCRs, Walkman's, DVD and CDs. The use of PCs, the Internet and Mobile Phones changed the way business was conducted and enabled the rise of multinational corporations as part of the trend of globalization. It can certainly be argued that the policies of Western capitalist countries, especially the USA, created conditions to allow globalization to take hold.
As with any economic developments, there are always social effects, both positive and negative. In the '80's and '90's, the main concerns were with regard to health, the environment and crime. Finally, any society is reflected in its culture. Here too, technological and economic developments changed the nature of TV, Music, Film and Literature. The most important developments in the '80's was the rise of home entertainment (enabled by the invention of the VCR) and proliferation of cable TV. These challenged traditional venues of entertainment. By the millennium, the rise of the internet would start to change the way this culture was accessed.
REMEMBER this historical process:
Technological advances ---> Economic adaptation ---> Social changes ---> Reflected in popular culture
- Technology
- Globalization
- New Social trends
- Popular Culture
As with any societal changes, the driver is technology. In this case, it was the rise of the use of Personal Computers, Mobile Phones and the Internet, and to a lesser extent, VCRs, Walkman's, DVD and CDs. The use of PCs, the Internet and Mobile Phones changed the way business was conducted and enabled the rise of multinational corporations as part of the trend of globalization. It can certainly be argued that the policies of Western capitalist countries, especially the USA, created conditions to allow globalization to take hold.
As with any economic developments, there are always social effects, both positive and negative. In the '80's and '90's, the main concerns were with regard to health, the environment and crime. Finally, any society is reflected in its culture. Here too, technological and economic developments changed the nature of TV, Music, Film and Literature. The most important developments in the '80's was the rise of home entertainment (enabled by the invention of the VCR) and proliferation of cable TV. These challenged traditional venues of entertainment. By the millennium, the rise of the internet would start to change the way this culture was accessed.
REMEMBER this historical process:
Technological advances ---> Economic adaptation ---> Social changes ---> Reflected in popular culture
| us_society_1980-2000.docx |
Technology
Globalization
Social Changes
Popular Culture
