How the U.S. changed from the 1960s to today. It’s no secret that the America of today feels vastly different from the America of the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, the country seemed to have a healthier population, a sense of community, and a culture that, while politically active, wasn’t as bitterly divided. Fast forward to now, and we see an increasingly unhealthy population, a rise in political polarization, and a growing sense of distrust. So, what happened? How did the U.S. get here?

Let’s start with health. In the 1960s and 1970s, people were generally thinner and healthier. There were fewer cases of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. It wasn’t just genetics at play; people lived differently. Home-cooked meals were more common, and processed foods hadn’t yet taken over the shelves. Fast food existed, but it wasn’t the staple it is today. Then came the rise of fast food giants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and others. By the 1980s, these companies had figured out how to market heavily to children and families, and fast food became a regular part of American life. The problem? These foods were high in calories, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and the portions were way larger than what the body actually needed. Over time, people started consuming more food than their bodies could handle, leading to an increase in weight and related health problems.

 

 

Processed foods also played a big role in this shift. If you look at a grocery store from the 1970s compared to today, you’d see that the sheer amount of processed, boxed, and frozen meals has skyrocketed. These foods are often packed with preservatives, sugars, and unhealthy oils that make them convenient but also unhealthy. As a result, what used to be a society where people cooked meals from scratch turned into one where prepackaged and fast food meals became the norm. That convenience came at the expense of health.

But it wasn’t just what people ate that changed. How they lived day to day shifted too. In the 60s and 70s, many jobs were still physically demanding, or at least required people to be on their feet for much of the day. Labor-saving devices were just starting to become widespread, and most people didn’t spend the majority of their day sitting in front of a screen. Today, the average American’s lifestyle is far more sedentary. The rise of office jobs, technology, and the internet has meant that people now spend hours sitting at desks, commuting in cars, and relaxing in front of televisions or smartphones after work. Physical activity has decreased dramatically for most people, leading to a whole host of health problems like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Economic changes played a huge role too. Starting in the 1980s, the U.S. saw a major shift in its economy. Manufacturing jobs, which had provided a solid middle-class income for millions of Americans, began to disappear as factories closed or moved overseas. This “deindustrialization” hit working-class communities hard. Jobs that once allowed people to support families and live relatively comfortably were replaced with lower-paying service industry jobs, leading to greater economic inequality. At the same time, wages for many workers stagnated, meaning that even if people had jobs, their pay wasn’t keeping up with the cost of living. This economic stress led to a range of problems, including poorer health, as people couldn’t always afford healthy food or medical care.

Meanwhile, healthcare costs were rising, and many Americans found it harder to afford regular check-ups, medications, and preventive care. With more people relying on cheaper, processed food and less access to healthcare, preventable conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease began to rise sharply.

While these changes were happening, another shift was taking place—one that would deeply impact American society: the rise of political polarization. In the 60s and 70s, most people got their news from the same few sources—national TV networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC, or a handful of major newspapers. These outlets were generally neutral and focused on reporting facts rather than pushing particular ideologies. That created a sense of shared reality, where even if people disagreed on issues, they were at least starting from the same set of facts.

But by the 1980s and beyond, the media landscape began to fragment. The rise of cable news brought about channels like CNN, which eventually paved the way for more partisan networks like Fox News and MSNBC. These channels, along with the 24-hour news cycle, started to focus more on sensational, often polarizing stories that played to their audience’s biases. People began to choose news sources that confirmed what they already believed, creating a feedback loop where people became more entrenched in their views. The internet, and later social media, took this fragmentation to a whole new level. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter allowed people to self-select the information they wanted to see, further isolating them in ideological bubbles. Algorithms on these platforms amplified sensational and divisive content because it was more likely to get clicks, shares, and comments.

Alongside this, there was a decline in trust in institutions. In the 60s and 70s, events like the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal had already begun eroding the public’s trust in government, but the financial crises of the 2000s, the perceived failures of government to address key issues like healthcare and inequality, and the rise of political corruption all deepened this distrust. Many Americans began to believe that their government no longer represented them, leading to increased political cynicism and a “them versus us” mentality.

This distrust extended beyond government to other institutions like the media, schools, and even local community organizations. Over time, participation in community groups, unions, and churches—which had once been pillars of civic engagement—declined. People became more isolated, interacting less with those who had different political or social views. This isolation and lack of dialogue made it easier for divisions to deepen.

Culturally, there was also a major shift. The rise of individualism and consumerism promoted the idea that personal success and happiness were paramount, sometimes at the expense of the collective good. Instead of focusing on what was best for the community or country as a whole, people were increasingly encouraged to pursue their own goals and desires. This emphasis on individualism made it harder to foster a sense of national unity or community, and it contributed to a culture where people became more isolated from one another.

Meanwhile, the culture wars heated up. Starting in the 1980s, issues like abortion, gay rights, and race relations became hot-button political topics. These issues weren’t new, but they became deeply polarized, with both sides digging in their heels. Over the years, these culture wars have only intensified, with new battlegrounds like immigration, gender identity, and climate change dividing Americans even further. Each side sees the other as not just wrong, but as a threat to the country, creating an atmosphere of constant tension and hostility.

Adding fuel to the fire is the political system itself. Over time, the practice of gerrymandering—redrawing district lines to favor one party—has made political districts more extreme. In these safe districts, candidates don’t have to appeal to moderate voters or seek compromise; they only need to win over their party’s base, which often holds more extreme views. As a result, the politicians elected from these districts tend to be more ideologically rigid, making it harder for Congress to function and for real solutions to be found.

All of this is compounded by changes in education. While more Americans than ever are going to college, there’s a sense that education today isn’t teaching critical thinking and civic engagement as effectively as it once did. Programs that used to focus on understanding government, critical thinking, and civil discourse have either been cut or minimized in favor of more career-focused subjects. This leaves younger generations less equipped to engage in meaningful political dialogue, and more susceptible to extreme ideas.

The rise of social media has also created a culture of instant gratification, where younger people expect immediate results and are less willing to work through problems or engage in long-term thinking. It’s no surprise that this is often perceived as youthful arrogance—where young people believe they know better than older generations without necessarily having the life experience to back it up. Add to this the fact that many colleges and universities have become perceived as bastions of liberal thinking, where conservative ideas are marginalized or silenced, and you have a recipe for political conflict on campuses across the country.

The healthcare industry hasn’t helped matters either. The U.S. system is primarily focused on treating diseases rather than preventing them. Doctors are more likely to prescribe medication than to suggest lifestyle changes, and pharmaceutical companies have a huge influence over how healthcare is delivered. As a result, many Americans aren’t getting the preventive care they need to stay healthy, and chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease continue to rise. The healthcare system also tends to reward short-term fixes over long-term health, making it harder for people to make the lifestyle changes necessary to avoid these chronic conditions in the first place.

In short, America’s transformation from a healthier, more unified country to one that is more unhealthy, divided, and polarized is the result of many interrelated factors. Economic changes, technological advances, cultural shifts, and political decisions have all played a role in shaping the country we see today. While there’s no simple solution to reversing these trends, understanding how we got here is the first step in figuring out how to move forward.

For further insight into the cultural and societal changes in America over the past decades, check out this comprehensive analysis of societal transformation in the U.S. since the 1960s