I was asked recently if the United States was right in supporting Stalin and the Soviets in World War II. I find this a fascinating question, because it is built on decades of false history. I will take the question further – should the United States have been involved in World War II at all? I love alternate history, and this is my take on that topic.
This is a companion piece to my article on 1950s America. My theory is that reading, writing and arithmetic are overrated. I believe that these are worthy skills that produce positive results for society. But we cannot view human beings as cogs. Running them all through the same machine is not only rooted in collectivism, but it’s a very new approach and we are only beginning to realize the consequences. Industrialization and the Cold War are the main culprits in my theory, but as with all things, the root of the problem is complex. Let’s examine.
From a conservative point of view, the 1950s were a high point in American history. The nuclear family was still intact. Church participation was at an all-time high. Every town offered numerous social institutions to strengthen fraternity and community. Housing was affordable for almost anyone that had a career, and jobs were abundant. Rapid technological innovations and national pride created an American optimism that hasn’t been seen since. The solution to today’s ills is to mimic the 1950s. There’s only one problem with this – the 1950s were artificial. They were an aberration in American history.
If I were a progressive idealogue, these are the kinds of books and authors I would include in an essential reading list. The ideas contained herein would lay the foundation for progressive thinking.
