The cultural effect of automobile on Americans in the 1920 Essay

The cultural effect of automobile on Americans in the 1920 - Essay Example The automobile had come a long way by then from the era of the Model T Fords that looked like square boxes mounted on wheels. The assembly line manufacturing method of Henry Ford had become the norm in car manufacturing and allowed the people to afford the automobile at lesser than the usual price. Now, no place was too far for the public to reach. Everything was only a car ride away. However, the road infrastructure still needed to keep up with the rapid growth of the automobile economy. The affordable cost of the new range of factory line produced automobiles helped to give rise to the era of American consumerism. Americans no longer purchased goods simply for consumption. Due to the effective advertising campaigns of automobiles, first as print ads and then as commercials on radio and television, the American psyche was awakened to a new and powerful type of happiness. A happiness that lay in their ability to buy things such as automobiles which, according to the sales pitches, was guaranteed to bring them hours, days, months, or even years of happiness with their family members and friends. Now, Americans purchased a lifestyle instead of an item. They now spent their hard earned cash with the knowledge that the purchase would bring them a sense of happiness. The automobile was the greatest expression of the happiness a person could find in his rising social status. From the era of 1910 to 1950, Americans began to develop a special relationship with their cars in part due to the influence of the automobile advertisements and the cars ability to provide a freedom of movement to a person. Customizing the car also became the ultimate in personal expression for young people. The automobile had a tendency to reflect the character of the owner. There was a sense of dependence on the automobile that could often be misconstrued as an