Over the last 70 years, the very nature of American society has been altered drastically by technological innovation and cultural change. Prior to the 1950s and the Second World War, the vast majority of American citizens lived a rural lifestyle. Agriculture was still an integral part of our national ethos, and the American suburb had yet to truly exist. The interstate highway system which was developed by a military veteran and the president Dwight D Eisenhower had yet to exist, and many people never ventured far from the place they were born. Christianity, organized religion, private charity and other similar organizations were the beating heart of domestic affairs and America’s communities were strong and vibrant. National pride was high, even amidst the great depression. Ultimately the state of American politics was much different and far less polarized and tense in comparison to the present day.
The vast majority of Americans also grew their own food at home, preserved essential items at home, and were largely self-sufficient. Chain grocery stores were not even a mass adopted thing, nor were super conglomerates like Walmart. When people needed fresh items like eggs or green beans, many of them ventured directly to the farmer, a shared municipal market, or obtained these items themselves by growing or producing them at their own residence. Subsistence living was still the norm, and as a consequence, people were largely healthier, in better physical and mental shape, and could largely trust their food.
In the modern sense, this has changed drastically. Many Americans are massively obese, and while life expectancy has risen, health problems like diabetes, cancer and heart disease have also become more common. Processed foods have dominated the market and “fast food” has become a vile staple of unhealthy American cuisine. Even “lab grown” or artificial meat has entered the picture. Recently, the governor of Florida Ron DeSantis vowed to oppose artificial meat to protect Americas farmers.