Overview

When watching an historical movie or while living through a particular decade, most of us don’t spend our time wondering in which pop culture development we are currently participating; rather, we live out our lives, and then, in retrospect, we attempt to fit our experiences into that era’s developments. "Oh, yes," we might say, "I remember doing/watching/wearing that … " For those who lived through the 1970s, you may find yourself doing just that as you read about the decade. You might remember who watched Saturday Night Fever with you; if you were a younger teen in 1977, you might also recall what tricks you used to sneak into this R-rated film—or into the 18-and-up discothèques, complete with flashing lighted floors and a silvery disco ball dominating the center of the hall. Perhaps you recall one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live, as well, who tongue-in-cheek informed viewers that, "I’m Chevy Chase … and you’re not." Maybe you still have a pair of glitter-encrusted platform shoes hidden at the back of your closet or some satiny hot pants that you’ll never wear again—which is fine, because they don’t fit, anyhow.

Movies, television, music, dance, and fashion styles are all covered in Pop Culture Universe, as are trends in food, groundbreaking advertising, and much more, including the fads of the decade—and the 1970s, in particular, can certainly be remembered for its fads. According to journalist Dolores Barclay, "The 1970s were a giant cauldron of fads, fancies and fetishes … trendy times."¹ From the tongue-snapping pop rocks to the passively owned pet rocks, and from the introspective mood rings to the exhibitionistic fad of streaking, Barclay’s observation holds true. The 1970s, they were trendy times, indeed.

That said, the prominence of the trendy and commercial aspects of pop culture should not be allowed to overshadow the inclusion of information gathered via more traditional disciplines; economic, political, and social data are extremely important to the overall pop culture of an era. During the 1970s, economic challenges certainly were on the forefront. Americans wrestled with the confounding economy of stagflation that combined dual challenges of rising prices with sluggish, lower employment rates. During the 1970s, an economist invented the term misery index to indicate the depths of the country’s economic distress, and, at the end of the decade, this index was at an all-time high. Americans also had to reluctantly swallow the bitter pill of Watergate as they lost trust in their government and as they watched the televised investigative process with anger and resignation. They shuddered at the horrifying body count as American soldiers fought in Southeast Asia and at the deadly clash between the Ohio National Guard and students at Kent State University. Furthermore, although many felt freer from societal chains because of the civil rights, gay rights, and women’s rights movements, others despaired of—or were simply baffled by—the rapidly shifting cultural mores.

How we felt during the 1970s—or how we perceive its events in retrospect—cannot, of course, be reported in a strictly objective manner. Whereas some disciplines—mathematics, for example—have neutral standards against which to measure formulas and statistics, no pure analysis of pop culture exists. Events and movements are filtered through the lens of experience, and how one feels about or discusses the 1970s will be colored by one’s value systems. How one interprets women’s lib and the Stonewall Riots, for example, will differ dramatically for those who identify themselves as feminists—or not; or as gay, lesbian, or bisexual—or as wholly heterosexual. The emotions attached to a discussion of the 1970s’ civil rights movement will, overall, fluctuate significantly according to a person’s racial identity. As yet another example, no matter how dispassionate one attempts to be, Democrats and Republicans will never perceive the Kent State shootings or the Watergate break-in exactly the same way.

The 1970s were also a time of significant contrasts. Dubbed the "Me Decade" by journalist Tom Wolfe, it saw the self-absorbed EST movement, wherein one’s personal emotions were paramount; the quirky pet rock, which was extremely popular, in part because it did not require any effort on the owner’s part; and a plethora of first-person songs that focused on individual feelings—all of which certainly bolstered Wolfe’s claim of me-focused society. This decade, though, also served as a time of selflessness, as many men marched in favor of women’s rights and voted for the Equal Rights Amendment that would constitutionally negate gender favoritism. Not everyone fighting for civil rights was black or even a minority, and heterosexuals as well as gays and lesbians believed in the rights of all, regardless of sexual orientation. Not one of these actions focused solely on "Me."

The 1970s also served as a symbol of persistence and the hope for a better day. The notion that the postwar United States would continue to have a strong and burgeoning economy was shattered. The idea that an elected president would serve out his term until completion—unless he died—was negated, and the Vietnam War left young protestors as well as soldiers bloodied and battered. Yet, America survived. People adapted, and they put the pieces back together again. But, whenever old ideals splinter, the reconstructed framework is never exactly the same as the original, and so it was—or perhaps so it especially was—for the culturally dissected and somewhat fragmented picture of the 1970s.

We all search for meaning in life, and, whether or not you lived through the 1970s, you will surely see bits and pieces of your own life burning bright within the pages of this book. Looking back at an era, though, is somewhat like a group of people all staring at a prism; although we would all be gazing at the same prism, we each would see differently refracted images reflecting back—and that is exactly as it should be. Enjoy your view.

Use the links on the top left and top right sides of the page to find out more about the news, films, movie stars, songs, books, Broadway shows, awards, fads, fashions, sports, and other elements of pop culture in the 1970s. Or, if you’d like, continue reading from The 1970s by Kelly Boyer Sagert.

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