Society:
The radio first gained popularity during the Harlem Renaissance where it played a pivotal role in the growth of the entertainment industry. By 1930 the radio had spread to the homes of over 40% of the American population, and by the next decade, it had risen to 83%. At first, there were questions about the radio, regarding if they were a harm to society because they hindered traditional social gatherings, much like the critiques of today's technology. However the journalist, Anne O'Hare McCormick summed up the reason for its popularity by saying, "Dazing, almost anesthetic effect upon the mind." The radio allowed people to leave their troubles behind momentarily and pleasantly be consumed by a world beyond reality. From live music to movies, it resonated a variety of entertainment that spurred the first true generation of celebrities which created the massive entertainment industry. People like Duke Ellington, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin allowed for a new ambiance in the household.
Politics:
Not only did the radio have a major impact on society as a whole but it allowed politicians and news to be spread nation and even worldwide. One of the most successful Americans to spread his message through the radio was Franklin D. Roosevelt. He began his fireside chats to make the people tuning in feel as if they were having a personal conversation with him. It created a feeling of hope and comfort regarding the future in the horrible anxiety times of the great depression. People felt that they could confide in someone like him because of how in touch he was with the American people. The difference between the radio and the paper is that so many more people could here Roosevelt's incredible speeches with fraises like, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." With the help of the radio, Roosevelt was not only able to become the president of the US twice, but he was able to convince people of his plan to free the US of disparity with the New Deal. Along with Roosevelt, other people began to spread their message through the radio. The "Radio Priest" Charles Coughlin used the radio to spread his religious beliefs, gathering the attention and support of over 90 million people. Because of this, he began a short time political power, gaining the alliance with FDR who had used similar tactics to become president and then creating his own political group to combat wall street and corruption among the monopolists.
The effect of radio on the US and really the whole world, not only facilitated the speed of communication but allowed for a larger percentage of citizens to be informed as well as sprouting a new culture with more modern values. One that is the basis of the one we live in now.
I really liked how you divided your post into two segments, it really made things clear. The radio also marked the advent of soap operas and also promoted old American family values which gave Americans a model to live by. The radio was also extremely important in reporting the growing tension that was currently existing in Europe during the 1930's as Germany began to mobilize to occupy a large portion of Europe.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-and-education-magazines/radio-1929-1941
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/radio-in-the-1930s/
Mateo, I think you did a really nice job of laying out the effects the radio had on society. I thought it was really interesting that people thought of radios as being detrimental to social interaction. People are always skeptical of new things, but it just takes time to get used to them. I think the radio can be further compared to the Internet by the fact that its ability to reach millions of people with ease can be exploited to preach propaganda and false information. However, with the radio, people might have been even more susceptible to believing false information than with the Internet. This is because there would have been fewer overall sources, so in turn a higher percentage of people would hear the same message.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ari that with a smaller amount of overall sources, it was extremelly possible for only a small sliver of viewpoints to be broadcasted over the radio. I expecially liked your connection from the radio to the internet, and how many people believe that new technologies can harm human interaction. Although this may be one belief, many times new technologies are actually created to increase human interaction and the spread of information, not reduce it. As you stated, the radio helped information reach more people it had ever before, with over 80% of families having access to a radio by 1940.
DeleteGood post! Also I think that that the first image was imperative to make your points about radio and how it connected America! As you can see although the Urban had more radios the Rural surrounding areas where not far behind. It was most important in those locations and really changed the environment of living in rural areas because now they had access to current events and all the gossip of the government, extra. Instead of weeks latter by mail or hear say, the information was accurate and more current than a newspaper because its live. Nice job Mateo!
ReplyDeleteI like how you separated your Blog Post into two sections, one to display how the internet affected society, and the other to depict how it affected politics. I think this method better helps to get your argument and give a better picture of how the internet was first used.
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