When the U.S. Government Prayed on All Men’s Fears of Losing Their Ability to Provide for Their Family

To be honest, there are certainly many, many times the U.S.
government has prayed on men’s fears for various reasons. But I
stumbled across an ad for U.S. savings bonds from 1948 that struck
me as a particularly, colorfully egregious example.

Alas, it is on the inside back cover of a precious May 1948
issue of Startling Stories that would fall apart if I
scanned it, and I cannot find the image online. But believe me,
it’s real,

The image is a sort of proto-Don Draper-y office man with
furrowed brow and a pencil held to his forehead.

The slogan:

“When does a man start slipping?”

The pitch:

The moment comes to every man.

The moment when he realizes he isn’t the man he used to
be….

That the days of his peak earning powers are over…

That some day not so very far away some younger
man will step into his shoes.

When does this time come? It varies with many things.

But of one thing you can be sure: It will come to you as surely
as green apples get ripe–and fall off the tree.

Is this something to worry about? Well….yes. But
constructively.

And “constructively” means: “By buying U.S. savings
bonds….automatically.”

American man, you are going to become more and more of a loser.
Don’t deny it. But strive to protect yourself and your family
against your inevitable, sad, humiliating decline. With U.S.
savings bonds.