---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was more than just material…"
description: "\"“It was more than just material prosperity. America in 1960 was a country where restraint and boundaries were the natural conditions in all arenas. Peo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/jeff-greenfield-12787_boundaries_it-was-more-than-just-material-prosperit_794031.jpg"
---

#  It was more than just material prosperity. America in 1960…

![“It was more than just material prosperity. America in 1960 was a country where restraint and boundaries were the natural conditions in all arenas. People married younger and stayed married; even with those added twenty-eight million, there were fewer divorces in 1960 than there had been a decade…” quote by Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/jeff-greenfield-12787_boundaries_it-was-more-than-just-material-prosperit_794031.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/jeff-greenfield-12787_boundaries_it-was-more-than-just-material-prosperit_794031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/jeff-greenfield-12787_boundaries_it-was-more-than-just-material-prosperit_794031.jpg)

> ““It was more than just material prosperity. America in 1960 was a country where restraint and boundaries were the natural conditions in all arenas. People married younger and stayed married; even with those added twenty-eight million, there were fewer divorces in 1960 than there had been a decade earlier. People did not have children unless they were married—only 2.5 percent of children were born out of wedlock, though the number in black households was disturbingly high—some 20 percent.””

[Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The excerpt contrasts 1960s America’s low divorce and illegitimacy rates with later social changes, highlighting cultural restraint and family stability.

**In simple terms:** 1960s families were more stable and traditional than later decades.

Key Takeaway

Consider how cultural norms affect family structures.

Themes

family social change demographics marriage divorce

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

sociological historical

When to use this quote

- sociology class
- policy discussion
- media commentary

Key Concepts

statistical analysis historical comparison cultural observation

Questions to Reflect On

- How have attitudes toward marriage shifted?
- What factors drive changes in family stability?

A Different Perspective

Data may not capture individual experiences or regional variations.

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[Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/)

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