In this four minute video, Great Depression historian Robert McElvaine describes research that shows how economic downturns can lead people away from conspicuous consumption to a more community-oriented way of life. McElvaine wrote a book called "Down and Out in the Great Depression," a collection of letters that people wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt. The letters revealed people were willing to get by with less, and share more with those less fortunate. "Under the impact of the Depression, people started thinking that, well, maybe all these material things -- even food -- as long as you've got enough to get by on is not as important as it is to have these values of working together with others," McElvaine explains. McElvaine also looks at movies, such as "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "The Grapes of Wrath", which celebrated community-oriented values and inspired Americans to judge others by their compassion and character, rather than what they owned. Quotes "Just one plain, simple rule: Love thy neighbor. And in this world today, full of hatred, a man who knows that one rule has a great trust." - Jimmy Stewart, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" "Almost nobody even looking at the good community values that emerged or re-emerged during the Great Depression would think it would be a good idea to have another Great Depression to bring those out." - Historian Robert McElvaine "I really believe that trying to move away from such an emphasis on consumption as a way of life is something that, while it's going to be bad for the economy in the short run, is something that we really desperately need to do." - Historian Robert McElvaine Warm Up Questions 1. What was the Great Depression? 2. What are some good things that might come out of a severe recession? Discussion Questions 1. Do you think Americans are becoming more community-oriented? Why or why not? 2. Do you think Americans consume too much? 3. What are the good and bad aspects of consumption? 4. What changes to American culture would you like to see come out of this period of economic hardship? Additional Resources Transcript of this report Ask Paul a Question Recession Lesson Plan