The Overton window

I came across a concept that I had thought about but never had put into words,  and this did it so elegantly.

So here it is for you - the Overton Window.

The Overton window looks at how ideas in society change over time,  from unacceptable to normal to affecting politics and changing laws.   

For example - a clear one is working women.  Of course women have always worked, a small group of women did not work and that is because they were very  wealthy. Most women worked but it was hidden - they would take in washing,  they would grow and sell vegetables,  or sew, or make beer.  They would do all sorts of side businesses, whether they were married or not. But during the World Wars,  while millions of men were deployed,  someone had to  work for the countries to run.  And suddenly there were women,  single and married, no longer working in side or home businesses, but actually in the factory,  in the stores.  And once they were out of the house,  it wasn't long before some were in colleges,  then not just doing 'women's work',  they were lawyers and accountants,  judges and surgeons.  Then all these working women began to change policies,  they now had bank accounts in their own names,  they could create business and serve on boards.  The Overton window had shifted on the issue of women's work,  from unacceptable to radical, then somewhat acceptable in special circumstances and now it's normal, popular and affected lots of policies and laws. 

For the longest time everyone believed in the divine right of Kings.  Kings were appointed and anointed by God.  Watching the coronation of King Charles III, I was struck by how medieval the whole ceremony was.  But then the window started to move,  and now,  very few if any - in the West - believe that Kings are anointed by God and the best and only way to rule a country.  So even though that belief was very strongly held by lots of people for the longest time,  and absolutely affected the law, it is now almost completely out of the Overton window. 

But this idea,  that our opinions can shift and change not only our own individual lives but our cultures as well, that's a very powerful concept.    And the window is moving all the time.  Shifting around sexuality,  around gender,  around education,  around trust in institutions.   And knowing that,  enables us to see the shifts and protect what is important to us.  Things won't stay in the window just because they have been there for some time.   

This is just a really interesting way of looking at how ideas change and shift over time,  and a way of looking at your own personal ideas and seeing where they fit in the window,  and if you care or not.  Some mainstream beliefs,  once challenged,  are easy to let go of.  Others you may find really difficult to let go of.  Just because something is popular,  doesn't mean it will be popular for ever,  doesn't mean it's right.   Just means its the norm for society now.  

I sense that the Overton window is moving very rapidly in the US right now,  and people should be looking at it closely -  what is acceptable now,  that wasn't acceptable even a decade ago. What is done now that wasn't done in the recent past. And what are our opinions on these shifts.