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> That's not how things are done in this country. Tocqueville, almost 200 years ago, begs to differ: "I know of no country in which there is so little indepen
by kapitza 10y ago
> That's not how things are done in this country.
Tocqueville, almost 200 years ago, begs to differ:
"I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America.... in America the majority raises formidable barriers around the liberty of opinion; within these barriers an author may write what he pleases; but woe to him if he goes beyond them." [1]
What's changed this year isn't that Americans are being purged for having the wrong political ideas. That's been happening not for 200 years, but well over 300. Roger Williams, anyone? [2]
What's changed this year is that the major candidate of one of the main two parties holds beliefs that would get any normal American purged. Added to this is the velocity of change: 50 years ago, most normal Americans held these same beliefs. (Heck, not 10 years ago, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were swearing up and down that "marriage is between a man and a woman.")
So you're seeing two processes: an increase in the speed at which America's governing class can evolve its beliefs, and a decrease in their ability to drag the rest of America along with them. No surprise that the latter group wants to respond to an existential threat with an existential threat.
[1] http://dailyprincetonian.com/opinion/2001/10/alexis-de-tocqueville-on-political-correctness/ http://dailyprincetonian.com/opinion/2001/10/alexis-de-tocqu...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Williams https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Williams
- wu-ikkyu 10y ago>within these barriers an author may write what he pleases; but woe to him if he goes beyond them. This has been more recently termed as the "Overton Window" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- Aloha 10y agoYeah, I can see this - and the overton window for various parts to the political spectrum no longer match up.
- labster 10y ago> 50 years ago, most normal Americans held these same beliefs Most Americans 50 years ago would be stunned that someone who has been married three times, and who has been caught on tape saying he wants to cheat with other women, is still running for President. That alone would be disqualifying.
- sidlls 10y agoUm, JFK begs to differ.
- sparky_z 10y ago"Most Americans" at the time had no idea about JFK's personal flaws in that regard. If they had, I can't imagine he would have reached the point of being nominated.
- Aloha 10y agoThe change is.. we know far more about our leaders than perhaps we should. No one is, has ever been, or will ever be, as saintly as our ideals require.
- Houshalter 10y agoI don't think that's true actually. The media had a policy on not reporting on candidates infidelity. People didn't think it was relevant to politics and that it was a cheap way of attack. As far as I can tell reporting on and outrage over sex scandals has only become more popular over time. Our culture is much more sensitive to it now, instead of the reverse.
- bdamm 10y agoQuite the contrary. The affairs were mostly secret up to the point he was elected president, and he was only married once.
- burkaman 10y agoI get why you're using examples from centuries ago, but I don't think those alone can prove your point. Tocqueville might have been right 200 years ago, I have no idea, but I strongly disagree that his statement is true today.