Social Change In When Harry Met Sally

1243 Words5 Pages
Social change in “When Harry Met Sally” In the start of “When Harry Met Sally” there is an old couple who talks about the difference in how times have changed when it comes to marriage. In their time they would find each other right away and plan a wedding. In our times today we find that people go through many different partners before settling down and sometimes that doesn’t even last. When we look at how our culture has changed over the many years, we can take into count that relationships have changed in a more drastic way. The War II generation 1940-1960 celebrated their freedom by getting married. The peak number of marriages in 1946 set the record on the charts. This generation became materialistic, grew rich, established bureaucracies and became authoritarian. They were distracted by business expansion of the post war boom. They failed as parents. The generation from 1960-1980 set all records for steady rising divorces. Their marriages ended in the divorce courts. This was the generation women entered the work place. Adultery (mental and overt) were the result. Women rejected the authority of their husbands. Unlike their parents who just quarreled, they divorced the men. The generation from 1980 to present is hardened and insensitive. They are the children of divorce. Their scars will never heal. They have grandparents with traditional (authoritarian) values and parents who were adulterers. They tend to be stubborn, hardened, insensitive. They are anti-marriage (as evidence by the 2 to 1 marriage to divorce ratio). Behavior is motivated by values, norms and standards. The desire for life is a seed that motivates fundamental behavior. Fear of dying leads to flight and fight. Fear of starving leads to agriculture. Fear of freezing leads to clothing. Fear of pain and disease (and dying) leads to medical care. Fear of crime leads to police; and fear of

More about Social Change In When Harry Met Sally

Open Document