I agree with this comment, Although the majority of this post is accurate its remiss to believe their is one single aspect effecting human consciousness, its a complex multilayer attack thats Millenia old.
As for 'Happy days' in America in the 1950s that was because they profited so much during the war, with many struggling countries around the world having to pay for essential goods with gold reserves, filling up fort Knox nicely while in europe millions of homes were gone, cities were rubble, a generation of orphans growing up and rationing of goods everywhere .... I wouldn't expect the Fonz to turn up to that party any time soon!