Rachel tells her therapist, "...No one cares about history or truth." Do you think that was true of the United States in the mid-1950s? How is it the same or different today?

Rachel tells her therapist, "All anyone cares about now is the bomb… and what's on television… No one cares about history or truth." Do you think that was true of the United States in the mid-1950s? How is it the same or different today?

This is so spot on in the US right now. Legislators want to raise a generation of non-educated who do not know of the atrocities committed by this country. The decisions (as in Germany) are not those of the people, but those of persons in power. These people look out for themselves and their families with no thought of the anguish, pain, death, etc. their policies put in place. Let's ask the Indians, the Irish, the Chinese, the South Americans, the Blacks, and even the Jewish people who tried to come here during the holocaust and were turned away. These historical facts should not be dismissed.

Thinking back to the 1950's, 1955 was only ten years after the end of the Second World War. I studied history all during my school years, but I do recall that the atomic bomb was very much in the forefront of public knowledge during the 1950's, and of course, television was a new phenomenon that was capturing the public's attention. I think Rachel may have had a point - history, truth as far as the horrors of the war, these were things that people wanted to forget during that time, having lived through the war years. Even in America, sons and husbands went off to fight around the world, there was rationing and shortages in this country. People were glad that things were returning to normal and they could enjoy life.

In the 1950’s people wanted to forget the atrocities of the atomic bomb but students were required to shelter in place in school. But the country did want to and still wants to forget the atrocities of war and/or the hate crimes and attitudes that still persist today. But there was a civics curriculum that has only recently been revived in some states. Nowadays people get news from social media and the internet more generally, which tends to be focused on what’s hot at the moment, and only a few concern themselves with a realistic understanding of the past.

I think if you have not experienced the atrocities of war those who haven’t can try to offer support and sympathy but still not understand what the survivors need. I’m not sure what Rachel wanted from others in her life but I think they felt they were trying to help her move on and talking about her experiences made them feel uncomfortable and guilty. In the fifties they were concerned about the atomic bomb. Today we are concerned about a nuclear bomb. History is a useful tool to learn about ourselves and the outcomes of our behaviors. Unfortunately we don’t tend to take those lessons to heart.

Right on Tired Bookreader! I could not have said it any better. I am terrified of what's recently been happening in our country.

Sadly, I do think Rachel is spot-on in her observation. Today, we are seeing a move away from FACTS and finding very conservative legislators who say that learning about the past is harmful to the current youth.

I was in high school in the 50’s. At that time there was just the beginning of tv and newspapers were our main source of information. At that time most people believed what they read. Now it is clear that there are so many untruths presented to us that it is difficult to know what to believe

In my opinion there were a number of unpleasant experiences that were taboo for discussion in the 1950s. If it made someone uncomfortable it was easier to deny or ignore its existence. If we can't see or hear ourself then we can begin to doubt many things we believe(d) to be true. And, how can you talk to someone about things they have no wish to know?

YES! I am so angry when I look back at what I was taught in History class in High School. It was lies by omission. We should do something about that!

I see a lot of parallels between the 1950s and today. McCarthyism was rampant, where many people were blacklisted and many careers ruined based on a slight suspicion that the individual might sympathize with Communism. Today, I feel a lot of that same irrational hysteria that I sense took hold of the country so many years ago.

And, of course, history is written by the victors, so in my opinion "history" is suspect regardless.

I think we're lucky in that in this day & age, where everyone has a camera in their pocket, that it's harder to obscure the truth, but there are still a lot of people out there that are comfortable accepting "alternative facts."

I was a child during WW11, so I remember some of what was going on. I think my high school did a pretty good job of teaching WW11 and I was a big reader, reading above my age, so I read many books about the war. I did not find them difficult to read at the time, but how that I am old, it is much harder to except all that was done during the war. My feelings go so much deeper now. I am also ashamed of our country and all the hate that is coming up again. I am also ashamed of the people who want to hid our history. It is necessary for the coming generations to know the past, so they can plan a better future.

Amen to you all. I really can't add to your observations. We thought the 50s were better, but....

I am with tired bookreader about current policy. I think they are trying to hide the past from students more than they did in the 50's. I was in high school in the fifties and I remember studying about WW11. I was a big reader and I read many books about the war and the Jews. I live in Minnesota and what we did not learn about was that the blacks were still not excepted. I remember how surprised I was to find out about the schools in the south. I was innocent enough to believe all that ended with the Civil War.

So spot on! More so now, than ever, I believe. Seems we have legislators who don't want teachers to teach the true accounts of our history because it makes us "look bad"... we need to learn about all aspects of our history so we don't repeat the same mistakes we have made in the past. Scary times