Conservatism: A Social Construction In Pink Think: Becoming A Woman in Many Uneasy Lessons by Lynn Peril, Peril describes social conservatism as a key characteristic of society in 1950. Consumer capitalism and commercial advertising not only helped perpetuate social conformity, but also defined the gender roles and expectations of both men and women. In this article I will argue that both consumption and the influence of social pressure have contributed to the structure of traditional and rigid gender roles. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Consumer capitalism was an essential hallmark of the 1950s. The devastation of World War II left the American economy crippled and its individuals in despair. This fueled hope among Americans for social and economic recovery, giving rise to modernity and suburban growth in the 1950s, both of which shaped the development of American culture at the time. Women, as described in Peril's Pink Think, have played a special and active role in consumer capitalism. Commercial advertising, which was a new and advanced vehicle for social and economic growth, pushed and encouraged women to participate in consumer spending, making personal and social turmoil among women imminent and prevalent. Women were caught on the threshold between society's choice, with the benefit of living comfortably but soberly, or against the status quo, with the benefit of living freely but as outcasts. The advent of consumerism "symbolized their future role as housewives, painting a very clear image of the woman of the 1950s" [1]. If a woman of the 1950s lived outside the boundaries of what constituted the "ideal woman" of the 1950s, as Peril demonstrated in the book, the individual suffered consequences, jeopardizing her title and status in the American society. The Cold War, which took place from the mid-1940s to the 1990s, instilled a deep fear of social instability among Americans nationwide. The fear of communism, otherwise known as “The Second Red Scare,” forced individuals into conformity, instilling in society shame and disgust towards any behavior that reflected any type of non-conformity. Individuals placed great value on conformity because it helped bring stability and social order in the midst of the chaos resulting from war. Nonconformity included engaging in same-sex and interracial relationships and, as Pink Think illustrates, violating any social expectations of a man or woman in society – key elements that later came to shape the conservative era of the 1990s. 50. Nonconformity, or the exceeding of gender expectations in society, as demonstrated in Peril's novel, dictated the social behaviors of both men and women in America. Another key feature of the 1950s was the polio epidemic. Polio, a deadly disease that caused paralysis or even death, was contracted due to the unsanitary conditions of urban cities, an area “[lacking doctors or decent hospital facilities” [2]. This caused many Americans to flee to residential areas, later known as white suburbs. Migratory populations led to tremendous growth in suburban areas. The suburbs consisted primarily of white, middle-class American residents. This exclusive community led over time to the rigorous and rigid formation of the "nuclear family" [3]– a post-war domestic ideal. The typical family unit lived in a house with a white picket fence and an assigned role for each family member. Mothers, in particular, as depicted in Peril's novel, were assigned the role of taking on domestic responsibilities and supporting domestic stability in the home. While the image of the perfect suburban wife was “efficient, patient, [and] always charming” [4], men, on the other hand, pursued more business-oriented careers, arriving to a clean house with dinner waiting for them .at the dining table. This has intensified social pressure and influence among women, setting the stage for women to be objectified and weakened later in society. American society in the 1950s placed great emphasis on commercial advertising and consumer spending. Consumer spending, helping to repair the economic damage of World War II, became the epitome of social status in society. The emergence of television helped catapult consumption across America, with many of these advertisements appealing to young women. As Peril describes in her book, marketing campaigns placed social status and materialism on a pedestal, exposing women to the pressure to adopt and become the social norm. Commercial advertising, a strategy used to convey what was considered normal and “the standard” for American individuals, fueled the economic stimulation of monetary wealth. These advertisements taught women to be ashamed of their natural beauty, thus influencing them to purchase their cosmetic products as a way to build confidence. “The advertising suggested that there was nothing that consumerism couldn't solve, as if the only thing between pain and happiness was the right cup in a set of monogrammed towels” [5]. Companies advertised their products as the ultimate solution to all the problems in their lives. In reality, however, this belief only exacerbated women's insecurity as it made them feel that their standards did not measure up to society's standards. Peril further describes society's standards for women when she states that “Listerine's advertising played on women's fears of a lonely spinster…their advertising played out other anxieties as well. 'You can watch it quickly when your charm begins to falter,' began a 1955 advertisement” [6]. This ad, exacerbating women's pre-existing insecurities, insinuates that her outward appearance plays an important role in her love life and her ability to find a partner. This added enormous pressure on women to uphold society's expectations by maintaining a hyperfeminine image, a self-deprecating practice against women influenced by the commercial advertising industries. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, refers to the cynical truth of marketing that is paralleled in the food industry when he states: “The market is a tool, and it's a useful one. But the cult of this instrument is an empty faith." [7]. Americans, who lived through the Cold War experience, experienced a deep fear of social instability that further expanded the walls of conservatism in American society. Americans not only feared communism but, more importantly, nonconformity or any behavior that deviated from their role in society. A key example of this, as Peril describes, is the social expectation of a woman's duty to society. “If little women did not take on the duty of having children and maintaining the house,” says Peril, “the national economy was threatened.”[8]. Extreme statements like these summarized the amount of stress and pressure experienced by women in the 1950s. If women did not respect social norms and the expected role of the "ideal woman", in the eyes of society, they would upset the very nature of humanity, betraying the society-manufactured image of femininity: a dark contrast with the very ideals of conservatism. . In his novel Fast Food Nation, Schlosser states that the founders of food industries, such as McDonald's, “can't trust some people who are nonconformists... [they] will make them conformists quickly... the organization can't trust the 'individual; the individual must trust the organization'” [9]. Society, a product of the system, functions on uniformity. The system, however, that works to create social order, in the process muffles the voices of its subjects, an act that unknowingly plunges American individuals into oblivion. This plays an influential role in individual condemnation of non-conformity and subversive behavior: attributing great power to the voice of the system while silencing those beneath it. Conservatism, however, has manifested itself in a higher exercise of social power: the objectification of women in American society, or gender hierarchy. The idea of ​​the nuclear family served as a pivotal point in the development of gender expectations because while it embodied American perfection and success, it also showcased the ideal "relationship," which Peril goes on to describe is, in essence, driven by the male ego . “Boys [enjoy] being with a popular girl because 'in her company they feel more manly, smarter or better'...Boys have also brought out femininity in girls. The girl who is feminine wants the man to lead her… She likes being with a boy because he brings out these feelings in her” (47)[10]. Just like capitalism, the traces of narcissism and superficiality inherent in consumer spending unconsciously play a role in men's behavior as they determine who they choose as partners. This practice underestimates women. Rather than finding value in each other, the individual found value in how the other could feed their ego, a feeling also provided by that of materialism. The high selectivity and fierce competition, which similarly embraces the very ideology of capitalism, also fuels the social dynamics of men and women in society, all of which shapes the gender roles of men and women in society. In Fast Food Nation, Schlosser states, “What has inhibited long-form investigative journalism is fear: fear of being reported, of being unpopular, of being criticized by very powerful groups” (236)[11]. Just as Schlosser describes, the fear of failure and not achieving perfection, a tenet of American success, is also evident in the fast food industry; desensitization, a byproduct of the system, is an infestation on both an individual and societal level. Both the fast food industry and commercial advertising, as illustrated in Pink Think and Fast Food Nation, are dominant forces in society. While both marketed great benefits to the individual, they also came at a high cost: consumer loyalty that not only cost a lot but also spawned gender roles shaped at the hands of society. Both commercial marketing and the fast food industry prove to play a double-edged sword in society, so much so that it is based on profit, but it would be completely impossible without social control and the structure of gender roles and norms social – a success attributed to the conservative culture of American society. The key events of the Second War.