The Overton Window is a political concept. It shows what is politically acceptable to most people at any given time. And often, moving that window of acceptability is the purpose of cultural wars.
When you hear outlandish questions and statements like:
- “You don’t think women should have the right to vote?”
- “You don’t think women should be able to work?”
- “If all men in the world disappeared tomorrow, society would collapse.”
The above are examples of someone trying to move Overton Window with these statements.
What Is A Cultural War?
A culture war is a conflict between social groups and the struggle for dominance of their values, beliefs, and practices. It refers to topics on which general disagreement and polarization in societal values exist.
Its contemporary use refers to a social phenomenon in which multiple social groups holding distinct values and ideologies attempt to steer public policy in opposition. Thus a culture war now describes “hot button” or “polarizing” social issues in politics.
The term “culture war” was first used in the 1960s to describe the conflict between the counterculture and the establishment. However, it became more widely used in the 1990s to describe the conflict between social conservatives and liberals.
Some of the most common culture war issues in the United States include:
- Abortion
- Gun control
- Same-sex marriage
- Transgender rights
- Immigration
- Race
- Religion
These issues are often seen as a zero-sum game, where one side’s victory is seen as the other side’s defeat. This can lead to a great deal of acrimony and division, and it can make it difficult to find common ground.
The culture wars have had a significant impact on American politics. They have led to the rise of partisan media outlets, which have further polarized the electorate. They have also made it more difficult for elected officials to compromise on important issues.
How To Deal With The Overton Window
When you hear somebody say something extremely outlandish, particularly violent, it’s not because they expect those things to happen right now. It is for them to pull those ideas into public consciousness, further moving the window so it becomes more and more acceptable.
So that’s what people are doing when they present outlandish ideas. That’s why you don’t debate people like this because their ideas are not on equal footing with our own.
What Are We Supposed To Do?
What are we supposed to say? The greatest way to battle this is to turn the person talking into an example. You don’t debate them. You make them the centerpiece of a larger systemic issue. And then, at that moment, make them the focal point of that issue. If they interrupt you trying to engage you, you keep talking about what they are doing. You don’t engage in a conversation with them about the outlandish statements they are saying.
Here’s a response to an outlandish idea that someone has stated revolving around racism:
“The crisis is that this is what is profitable now. This is clickbait. This type of racial incitement is profitable on the internet.”
In this case, the person is not engaging about the issue itself. They are responding in a way highlighting how the outlandish idea is presented and its effects.
When you approach the outlandish idea this way, the person trying to move the Overton Window will try to engage you in a discussion about the outlandish idea. Don’t do it. Keep talking about what the person is talking about.
Here’s a video of how Brooke Goldstein excellently responded, and that’s how you battle moving the Overton Window: