Children were safe and everyone would talk. It was at least happier and less isolated.
Racially segregated schools and restaurants, hiding under desks in case the Russians decided to attack, widespread unfounded fear that communists were infiltrating and taking over the American government, general misunderstanding between the capitalist and communist powers, patriarchal households, not to mention how much people just
weren't themselves - I mean, Liberace pretended to be straight in the 1950's. I don't think I would have survived long in that despicable time at all, if just because of the conformity alone.