4 ms·

Over 100 million of us watched The Day After when it aired, a TV movie about nuclear war. So not only was it top of mind, the range of media alternatives was s

• losteverything 10y ago
  But.... Imo. Top Of Mind did not last at all. Sure for 2 weeks we talked about it. But "it" was the movie. Not the fact destruction is coming.
  • roymurdock 10y ago
    Interesting...even with a greater existential threat...the lack of available media made it less of a focus? Even if people had wanted to discuss, they wouldn't have had the platform or information available to have a discussion about the threat of nuclear war?
    • losteverything 10y ago
      < the lack of available media made it less of a focus? Yes x10. Atomic war..any subject, really. We didn't know what we didn't have. If it wasnt on the tv or paper it didn't exist. "Oddballs" talked about DDT, women's rights, ozone layer, Poverty, gambling, single parenthood- you name the subject. Letters to editors gave others' voices. But no way to communicate back. Magazines gave voices too, but weekly or monthly. Aside from civil rights and anti Vietnam war organizing there was not much organizing going on. I recall a spray painted "go to dc Jan 20" on a pinball joint in my university city hometown. Printed flyers on poles organized people for war protests. The first real "always talked about " thing was Watergate hearings and then of course the Iran hostages and Nightline each night. Constant update on the subject. Talk radio did not exist back then. Am radio djs talked but. Never political
  • toss1 10y ago
    It actually did have an effect on policy and was cited in Ronald Reagan's own memoirs. This is mentioned in the Wikipedia article.