Blog 11: EOTO Reax 2

The Overton Window

Overton Window Overview

I was very interested to learn that is a concept called the Overton Window that explains the range of theories and opinions that the general public is willing to accept. This theory is helpful for public and governmental figures to curate the platforms that they will align themselves with and the opinions that they will advertise. Ideas that fall far outside of the Overton Window are most likely not going to be accepted by the general public as they are too radical. Ideas that fall just outside the Overton Window may be accepted in the coming future, however, they are probably too radical to advertise at the present time. Ideas that fall inside the Overton Window are considered politically safe, and for this reason they are usually the ideas advertised by politicians. This window heavily influences policy and for this reason politicians monitor the changes and shifts in what falls into it. Additionally, politicians slowly introduce ideas that fall just outside of the Overton Window and after enough time they are usually widely accepted. This is, in large part, the way ideas change over time. 

Moving the Overton Window

The Overton Window naturally shifts over time as cultural, moral, and social ideas evolve. This window is often shifted in the wake of social movements or societal crises. For example, in our post 9/11 society, it is considered more acceptable to search people and their belongings in airports, whereas it was not widely accepted previously as it was considered an invasion of privacy. This concept translates into most currently accepted norms, because at one point they were most likely considered radical in some capacity. For example, the way we consider different races, genders, and sexualities has shifted radically over time, and as a result so have the policies related to them. It is vital to understand this concept in order to cater political platforms to the general public and their accepted ideals.