LOVE,
American Style

Illustrated with four images that depict how depraved European dating in the Fifties was and how darn wholesome American teenage dating used to be by comparison, this five page article from 1955 presents some sociological data that supports the conclusion that American love is better than European love because the American approach to the topic was simply “easier”.

The assorted studies compiled by the early marriage counselor Paul Popenoe (1888 – 1979) and the American Sociological Society indicated that

• the earliest sexual experience for many European males involved prostitutes

• polls indicated that 54% of the men and women in England, over the age of 18, labeled sexual relationships as “unpleasant”

• A higher suicide rate among young European women than their American counterparts shows a deepening despair in matters of love

The study concluded that America’s coeducational school system helped to create a friendlier atmosphere among the sexes – and that, unlike European teens, American were contented to a further degree with “necking and petting” while engaged in long-term relationships.