(Sex, dope and not quite rock n' roll)
Gangs, binge drinking, teen pregnancies, dope, crime, dropouts - we were a mess. And that was only 1953!
Going back to the mantra "no matter how much things change, it's how much they stay the same" kind of nails it here.
The world was a frightening place in 1953. Smack in the middle of the Korean War, not to mention the Cold War with Commies everywhere - no wonder kids got a little out of control. Life Magazine called them the "lucky generation" but I wonder how lucky they were feeling at the time.
This documentary, produced by CBS Radio, featured narration by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas and interviews with a vast group of teenagers, all slated to graduate in winter and summer 1953, from all over the country. It's a fascinating document, and a good reminder that what's going on now may seem horrible. But it's always been that way.
Strangely, we've also managed to survive.
Think of your parents and grandparents when you listen to this - they are most likely the ones the documentary is talking about.
Scary . . no?
