The Culture War
James McAfee is a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, and the author of Culture Wars. His book was a finalist for the 1992 L.A. Times Book Prize, and was also the recipient of the Distinguished Book Award for Evangelicalism: The Coming Generation. He has published many books on American society and culture, and is one of the most acclaimed commentators on contemporary issues. Culture Wars explores the tensions between modernity and tradition in contemporary America, and how these two forces interact.
The culture war
The culture war is a divisive issue that many commentators have downplayed. Many cite the fact that the culture war affects only a few protagonists, and therefore has no real effect on the lives of most people. This view is summarised by a recent headline in the Guardian, which cited a report by the think-tank More in Common. However, ignoring the culture war does not make it go away.
Many progressives believe that culture wars are misguided attempts to reshape American society. They say that the culture wars are simply struggles for social justice and ignore the fact that they can sometimes be violent. This is a mistaken view, because progressive moral arguments need much more explanation than do right-wing arguments. To understand the true nature of this conflict, one must first appreciate why it has become so divisive in the first place.
Critical race theory
The right wants to promote critical race theory, but the Democrats have largely avoided it, as the Democratic party is focused on economic issues and concrete proposals to improve voters’ lives. Why? Because the critics are largely uninformed and simply do not understand the issues. Ignoring the critical race theory is the only way to protect the Democratic Party’s future. But how do you do that? Let’s look at some examples.
First, consider the critical race theory’s definition. Conservatives have long claimed that it is a dangerous idea, and so have Republican operatives. But in reality, the critical race theory is a legitimate argument for multiculturalism, and even its opponents have a point. The theory is important, and it helps educate people of color, women, and LGBTQs about their own history and the nature of their own communities.
Abortion debate
The latest issue in America’s cultural war is anti-abortion laws. Many states have passed anti-abortion laws, illustrating the intense polarization that exists in our society. Abortion is a particularly divisive issue in our society, despite the fact that it’s an increasingly racial and economic issue. The debate over abortion may be a distraction from the fact that Americans are becoming more tolerant on a variety of issues, including race and gender.
While politicians can pass laws banning abortion, they cannot outlaw the ideas people have in their heads. Changing people’s values requires peaceful exchange of ideas, not violence. Legal pro-lifers may respond by arguing that abortion is murder. In this debate, they need to demonstrate why abortion is wrong and why culture frowns on it. A culture war, it turns out, is much more complicated than a political argument.
Political correctness
The first example of political correctness came in the 1990s. During the decade between 1981 and 1990, there were 213 articles about the subject. That number increased to more than 600 in 1991 and 1992. After that, mentions of political correctness gradually tapered off, but they spiked again after Donald Trump’s announcement. Fortunately, these statistics are far from conclusive. If you’d like to see whether political correctness is a threat to our society, consider the following.
Among the people most opposed to PC are Enlightenment liberals, who want truthful and open discourse. While this may be an appealing sentiment to some, it’s also a form of censorship that actually hurts the cause of truth. As such, it’s better to ignore the political correctness debate altogether. While it’s important to respect different views, the debate over PC is largely about preserving liberal values.