Eugenics In The 1920s Essay - 1388 Words

The 1920s were an interesting decade to say the least. The end of the first world war in 1918 spurted social change all over the world, and the United States was not immune to these changes. During the World War the American people suffered an immense amount of emotional turmoil. The end of the war, coupled with the favorable outcome for the United States, shifted the American peoples energies. Especially those of the younger generations, from those of feeling uncertainty and fear to a joyous carpe diem mentality. This led to the emergence of the roaring 20s. The rise of the flapper, a consumer society, and jazz music all epitomized this decade. However, not everyone was on board with these social changes. Typically, the older generations†¦show more content†¦One of the most radical changes of women’s attitudes in the 1920s was the fact that they treated sex in a more casual manner. With this casual sex mentality that women embraced also came the possibility of higher rates of venereal disease. The film â€Å"Are You Fit to Marry?† addresses this issue. Featuring Dr. Harry Haiselden, one of the most notorious advocates for radical Eugenics in the 1900s, the film revolves mostly around three couples and the possibilities that they are not eugenically fit to marry. One of the couples, Claud and Anne, marry despite the fact that Claud has tainted blood. This taint stems from an indiscretion Claud’s grandfather had with a â€Å"working class woman† in which he contracted a â€Å"venereal disease† (Pernick 1996, 146). This disease is passed down the generations, and when it comes time for Claud and Anne to have a baby, the baby is born a â€Å"defective† (Pernick 145). Anne is now forced to make the decision of asking Dr. Dickey (Haiselden) to save the baby or let the baby die. The film then shows Anne â€Å"the revelation of the future† (Haiselden and Lait 1927). She sees her son through all his stages of li fe, boyhood, young adulthood, and adulthood. In boyhood, other kids his age poke fun of him for being different. During young adulthood he becomes a derelict, even attempting to shoot the doctor that saved his life. The vision ends with the man inShow MoreRelatedArticle Abstracts: Concept of Nazism1283 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstood than thought by many people, especially members of the general public that have not examined the issue. Hayek, F. (1944). The Socialist Roots of Naziism. in The Road to Serfdom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. 183-98. 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