How did the Cold War affect popular culture?

The Cold War facilitated the concept of demonizing "the
other."  When we examine how the Cold War influenced popular culture, it did so through
the belief that the Communists were "wrong," or were "unholy."  There was little in way
of understanding "the other," the dialectical opposite of American culture.  Rather,
there was a wholesale condemnation of it being wrong and anything associated it as being
wrong.  The rise of Joe McCarthy was but a small reflection of this attitude.  Another
cultural reflection of the Cold War was to create a sense of binary dualism where one
side was "correct" and another was "incorrect."  It fostered a simplification of global
and internal affairs.  Such a dualism benefits those in the position of power because it
removes complexity and critical thought in the equation, forcing individuals to simply
embrace what is being told in terms of who or what defines the enemy.  In this light,
the cultural effect of the Cold War was to not embrace a spirit of questioning or
intricacy, but rather exist with an end product that is reflective of the attitude and
demeanor associated with "winning."