I know there was a point in 60s where their middle class was flourishing domestically, but internationally the US was the same as ever, no?

Thank you, yes but that’s current.

My parents generation still harken back to a golden time when the US was leader in freedom of speech and social mobility. There is some merit to what they said back then, especially in terms of consumer interests being somewhat aligned with retailer interests back then, but I want to genuinely know if this even back then was more propoganda than reality.

Genuine question: when exactly? I know there was a point in 60s where their middle class was flourishing domestically, but internationally the US was the same as ever, no?