so, to summarize - we are all just regular people who have our own issues and opinions? and, TIL:
The Overton window is the range of ideas or policies that the public is willing to consider and accept at a given time
. It is also known as the "window of discourse" and serves as a model for how ideas in society can shift and influence politics. Ideas outside of this window are considered radical, while those inside are deemed politically viable.
The window is named after Joseph P. Overton, a former senior vice president at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, who developed the concept in the 1990s.
Key characteristics
Dynamic and changing: The window is not static; it can shift, expand, or shrink over time as public opinion, societal values, and norms evolve.
Influenced by society: According to Overton's original concept, politicians are typically followers, not leaders, of the window. They enact policies that they perceive as already popular. The window is primarily shifted by think tanks, social movements, media, and other social forces that influence public opinion.
Continuum of acceptance: Ideas are often categorized along a spectrum of public acceptance. The political commentator Joshua Treviño proposed a six-part scale: unthinkable, radical, acceptable, sensible, popular, and policy.
Historical examples of shifting the Overton window
Historical and recent events have demonstrated the shifting nature of the Overton window.
Abolition of chattel slavery: The idea of abolishing slavery was once considered unthinkable but became a reality through decades of advocacy.
Women's suffrage: The movement for women's right to vote gradually moved from a fringe idea to a widely accepted policy.
Same-sex marriage: Public support for same-sex marriage was low in the 1990s but entered the window of political possibility by the 2010s, culminating in its legalization in the U.S. in 2015.
Universal healthcare: Advocacy for universal healthcare has moved it closer to the center of political debate in recent years.
Recent political examples
The Trump presidency and Brexit: The rise of former U.S. President Donald Trump and the vote for Brexit in the United Kingdom are cited as examples of how the Overton window can be pushed quickly toward extremes, bringing previously radical ideas into the mainstream.
Project 2025: Some analysts cite Project 2025, a comprehensive plan to restructure the U.S. federal government, as an effort to shift the Overton window to normalize conservative policies that were previously considered unacceptable, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ rights.
Criticism of the theory
While widely used, the Overton window concept has faced several criticisms.
Rapid shifts: Critics argue that the model's focus on gradual change fails to account for rapid, dramatic shifts, such as those associated with Donald Trump's rhetoric or the rise of Bernie Sanders.
Echo chamber effect: Cultural critic Laura Marsh suggests that in the modern, politically polarized environment, there may be two separate Overton windows for each side of the political spectrum, with little overlap. This reflects a "powerful nostalgia for the center" that may no longer exist.
Manipulation vs. legitimacy: Some criticize the use of the model to intentionally manipulate public perception by pushing extreme positions to make less-extreme ones seem moderate in comparison.
Misunderstanding of origin: Some critics point out that the window was initially developed within a specific libertarian context to promote certain policies and that its meaning has become warped through broader use.