Summary: The Formation Of Modern American Mass Culture

In the years following the end of World War I, new technologies emerged that would change America forever. These technologies made it possible to improve the lives of Americans across the country. It also brought changes to our society. The most significant change was entertainment in the form of movie pictures. The movie industry became a huge business. According to the article, The Formation of Modern American Mass Culture, three-fourths of the American population went to a movie theater every week. Movies were seen by both the wealthy and the poor alike. They provided an outlet for people to escape the trouble of their everyday life. Individuals may not be able to tell you the names of political figures, but you can bet they knew the names of every leading actor and actress from the 20s.

There were no televisions during this era, so prior to movie theaters, Americans relied on newspapers as well as radio broadcasts to be informed of important matters. Movies also featured newsreels allowing their audience to see what was going on in the world. The newsreels contained news stories as well as interesting topics to engage their audience. It was a great source for political issues, current events, and entertainment stories. Advertisements were also hugely popular at the cinema. Placing an advertisement of any kind before audiences of this immense size highly appealed to the merchants and manufacturers who had numerous products to sell. The theater is the ideal setting for consumerism for many reasons. The audience is focused on the brightly lit screen because the rest of the theater is very dark. The individuals are in a cheerful mood because they are there for a fun night at the theater. The audience tends to leave everything behind and enter with an open mind to watch the movie and view the advertisements that might have a positive effect on their lives in one way or