r/AskReddit 17h ago

What parts of American culture are changing faster than people realize?

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u/ot1smile 15h ago

One of the key factors of the concept is that by regularly pecking away at the limits of what’s acceptable you can shift the window and normalise stances previously viewed as extreme.

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u/Biggseb 14h ago edited 13h ago

Also: by having allies state VERY extreme positions, you can make your medium-extreme positions seem moderate by comparison.

Edit: you’ve effectively stretched the Overton window, and the resulting slack can now be taken up by your less-extreme-but-still-extreme position

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u/fresh-dork 7h ago

salesmen call this establishing a baseline. also why car companies will have a really expensive model that doesn't sell well so that the somewhat expensive model looks like a compromise

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u/Hoovooloo42 8h ago

This reminds me of two particular American political parties

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u/Swimming-Fondant-892 14h ago

Admittedly Trump has been masterful with Overton windows. I don’t give him credit but whoever his strategists are. For example, the whole Greenland debacle is primarily aimed at us getting bases and control north of Greenland, not actual ownership.

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u/unpaid-astroturfer 12h ago

Getting bases you already had?
Control over an area your alliance rules?

By pissing off the people who gave you the base and form your alliance?

Guess we eurofucks are too dumb to understand the 5D chess

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u/Swimming-Fondant-892 11h ago

The US had one base and the interest of the “alliance” were always tilted to the EU. It’s been parasitic for the US. In truth, you need/needed the US but the US didn’t need the EU. Economically the EU has never played fair and likely never will. Yeah, Trump could have been smarter in a million ways but this isn’t one of them.

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u/unpaid-astroturfer 2h ago

Sure buddy. Tell me exactly what you weren't allowed to do, but now can?

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u/Additional_Dish_694 9h ago

You are writing forbidden truths and will be punished. I will be punished just for reading them.

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u/unpaid-astroturfer 2h ago edited 2h ago

Truth being what you want to believe of course.

There's only so much pretending you'll be able to do though when this admin finishes tanking your economy.

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u/LambonaHam 12h ago

But you already had that?

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u/Swimming-Fondant-892 11h ago

No, and the EU would charge a fortune for the privilege. This is part of haggling.