> Whaaaa--? When you look at support for "liberal" ideals--desegregated
> schools, acceptance of same-sex relationships, support for women's
> participation in the public sphere--we've seen a tremendous political
> shift in the U. S. since (say) 1950. Sure, you've got the dumbfuck Imus
> backlash, but the real trend--as the christian conservatives bemoan--is
> that the liberals is winning the "culture war". --And note that every
> generation of Americans is yet more "liberal" about this stuff than the
> previous one!
Yes. It's an odd double-mindedness the American public has about this stuff. Sexual mores have certainly changed radically, and attitudes in general are far more tolerant than when I grew up. At the same time, there's a love of attitudinizing in ways that belie the actual changes in people's outlook. I'm inclined to think that people are more tolerant in practice simply because they've been brought into unmediated contact with what was formerly Other -- and that they attitudinize about it because they get preached at by their pasters, masters and not least, teachers.
But perhaps this is sheer projection.