What would you do if you had to live in 1950s America?

[CHUD]

What can you do to adapt to your new life?

I would have no intention of really adapting, though I guess I would have to fake it.

My intention (and only reason for NOT bumrushing a moving freight-train head on) would be to END the world of the 1950's sooner. Speed up the women's lib and civil rights movements - and make life as much more miserable as possible for the white priviliged males riding on top of that racist/sexist society. I'd spend my time prior to the journey doing research towards that goal.

The moment I'd step on 1950's soil, I'd effectively be a lone operative on enemy ground.

As for packing.... max out credit cards, take up loans... whatever - and buy gold, gold, gold - and possibly bring a sports almanac - all to fund my operations.

Vive la résistance! Vive la liberté!

 

[EHKOS]

Woo! Screw a week, give me two days! I really like that era.

I'd probably fit right in on Tranquility Lane. The only thing I'd bring is my laptop, filled with my favorite rapper's discographies. I would not be above creating the genre myself and taking credit for the songs, since they weren't written yet.

But yeah, the whole, come home with the briefcase, put the hat on the hat rack, kiss the wife in the apron and pat the kid on the head kind of thing is something that always resonated with me.

 

[marioandsonic]

I'd decline the offer. I don't think I could ever handle living in that era.

So I'd probably call the cops on "Rob" and wave goodbye as he gets thrown in the police car.

 

[Wasted]

No thanks. I have a Mexican heritage so I would most likely be treated like crap and openly discriminated against without having any legal recourse.

 

[The Funslinger]

I would probably reenact the plot of 11.22.63. Although...

Spoiler: implicating spoilers of the book. Do not spoil it for yourself. It's an amazing novel.

Once it became apparent I'd fallen in love and was far happier there than in my old life, I'd likely just say 'fuck JFK, we did fine without him' and go back to bed rather than running the clear and present risk of getting the woman I theoretically love killed.

 

[Evonisia]

I'd commit suicide. Seriously the 1950s was a far too racist, sexist and oppressive time for me to just sit there and nod politely. I wouldn't want my mum or sister to think how women lived was OK. I say this as a white male, mind.

I'd prepare my things, write about ten pages worth of information on why I'm killing myself, then hang myself the day before the vortex arrives.

 

[SecondPrize]

I would troll the squares. All day, every day, until I got easy ridered.

 

[SanguiniusMagnificum]

What I would do?

Oh, I don't know.... Maybe get arrested by a bunch of McCarthy's goons on suspicions of being a communist spy.
It's because I'm Russian, you know.

But if by some miracle they would look past the Russian accent and name I'd guess that I would buy a big-ass Harley, some leather boots and start attending a ton of important historical events. That'd be pretty sweet, I guess.

 

[gunny1993]

Invest in arms and Bell Helicopters, at least 2 good wars to make money off.

Also Apple, Microsoft and IBM.

 

[TaboriHK]

I think wanting to go back in time is about the saddest thing we could ever use science for. There's never a great reason for it; either we ruined something or we want to escape our own lives, but hitting the reset button on social culture for yourself by nearly seven decades should be only terrifying to imagine.

 

[prowll]

Early assasination of political personalities? Preventing several of the career politicians from ever living to see city dogcatcher, let alone high office? Yeah, that's doable. You're basically sending back someone who has no history, no background, no SSN, ect... criminal activity is all you CAN do. So if my life is over, let me steer politics....

 

[flying_whimsy]

I notice a lot of opinions going for either suicide or using future knowledge for self-benefit.

I would not do well in the 50s. As a straight white handsome male, it'd be great for me; however, I do not adhere to even modern social norms very well. Putting me in a fear-governed society based on discrimination and rampant McCarthyism and you wouldn't find me just trying to get by or killing myself. I'd fight back. If I could lead a movement dedicated to change, awesome; otherwise I'd just be that lone anarchist nutjob that everyone feared.

I would still die, but I'd take as much of that society down with me. Especially that bastard McCarthy.

 

[Story]

Whelp, that would really suck for me being both African American (though I look mixed) and female.
I would try and use my knowledge of the future to gain profits and help people. If they bothered to listen to me that is.
Otherwise, I would try to find my Grandparents and convenience them to let me live with them for the rest of my life.

 

[Hemlet]

Quite frankly? It wouldn't end well, but I'd do my absolute damndest to go "Old Man Henderson" on everything. Maybe do the sports almanac Back To The Future trope just to rack up some funds before I started fucking everything up as much as I could.

I'd probably last all of a week, but holy shit it'd be a historical week.

 

[JoJo]

I saw this thread yesterday and have been thinking about it, and actually I wouldn't mind it too much. I'm a white male, so the discrimination of the era wouldn't affect me too badly. I'd have to keep my sexuality on the downlow a bit more, but I could live with that. The worst parts would be losing my family and friends, and not having the Internet or video games to amuse me any-longer. I'd probably try to move back to England too if possible.

Now, as for plans, I'd record down a number of lottery ticket numbers before I get sent back so I can win them soon after I arrive. I'd also note the stock prices of major companies like Google and Microsoft which started small, so I could invest in them when their shares were cheapest and sell when they were at their best. Between those two I should be able to retire young and live in luxury, waiting for past me to be born.

 

[Kae]

Mexican with a pretty thick accent here and a really short fuse, it doesn't matter what I bring back I wouldn't live long in 1950s America, I'm not the kind of person that lets other walk over them so I'd probably punch the first racist white guy I bump into in the face and get killed right there or sent to jail, where I probably wouldn't last long either.

 

[Atrocious Joystick]

Well, at first I would probably be in quite a bad state because you know, I would have just lost everybody I ever loved and cared about and got thrown back in time and across the world. Then I would try to find out what people used to do on a slow day before all this internet and TVs bigger than a toaster oven got started. I´m white, protestant, fluent in english and straight so I doubt I would have much trouble socially. Seeing as I know a bunch of stuff that would not be known in the 50´s and I can bring modern electronics worth 300 dollars I´m going to use that to start my own software and hardware empire, kickstart the computer revolution. I won´t get a mean machine with me for 300 bucks but I can get a cheap laptopt and that is still miles beyond anything they had in the 50´s.

After that I am a rich man. So I use that money to move back to 1950´s Sweden, give a bunch of it to my grandmother and then I just sit around being rich in a time when being rich was pretty damn fine.