Overton Window
Joseph P. Overton
Conceptualized by Joseph P. Overton in the 1990's, the Overton Window is a range of policies and ideas that the public considers to be acceptable or mainstream. It captures the ebb and flow of how society accepts various ideas through its movement that is shaped by media, political endorsements, and significant events.
The concept of the Overton Window actually came from his first idea of using this concept as a way to convince donors that his organization that he was doing very valuable work in his company. After he died, his Mackinac colleague had taken up the concept into politics and named it after Overton himself, eventually it being known as the Overton Window.
Spectrum
The Overton Window has a spectrum divided up into 5 different categories being Popular, Sensible, Acceptable, Radical, and Unthinkable. Each of these categories had to do with how ideas were viewed on the spectrum and that only the popular ideas would be taken up as policies. Popular ideas were widely accepted and supported. Sensible ideas were deemed reasonable but universally embraced by society. Acceptable ideas were tolerated but not supported. Radical ideas were extreme but were discussed among people. And finally, unthinkable ideas were considered outside the realm of possibility and public acceptance. These five make what as we know to be the Overton Window.
While the Overton Window does have a spectrum, that spectrum can change based on different types of shifts in society. The 4 types of shifts in society are usually caused by Media Influence, Political Leaders, Social Movements, and Major Events in society.
Political Leaders
Political leaders are able to affect the Overton Window by affecting the way people think through endorsements or denouncements which can sway public opinion. An example of this would be during presidential campaigns where they try to sway public opinion so they can be voted.
Social Movements
Social Movements are when grassroot movements or prominent figures in society help popularize ideas that become public movements. An example of this would be the feminist movement which aimed to express equality between men and women in society.
Events
Events in history have made a great impact on society and have affected how the Overton Window has shifted. Some of these events include wars, major incidents, economic downturns, and even pandemics which can change what is deemed as acceptable in society. An example of this would Covid when it was very big at the time, people start accepting the fact that we needed to socially distance from each other and that we all needed to where masks and take vaccines to do what we can to not gain or spread the Corona virus.
Conclusion
With all of these different ways that the Overton Window can change in our society, there is no doubt in my mind that anything could change with the way people think and what people demand at the time. This could either go from one small change to another or it could even change the very way we live in our lives.
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