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In the common imagination, the deep cultural divide in the United States pits Team Woke (young, female, POC) against Team Resentful (old, male, white).
This is almost entirely wrong.
(Thread.) https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/large-majorities-dislike-political-correctness/572581/
This is almost entirely wrong.
(Thread.) https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/large-majorities-dislike-political-correctness/572581/
As a great new study by More in Common shows, Americans actually divide into seven tribes:
* Progressive activists
* Traditional liberals
* Passive liberals
* Politically disengaged
* Moderates
* Traditional conservatives
* Devoted conservatives https://www.moreincommon.com/hidden-tribes
* Progressive activists
* Traditional liberals
* Passive liberals
* Politically disengaged
* Moderates
* Traditional conservatives
* Devoted conservatives https://www.moreincommon.com/hidden-tribes
Traditional and devoted conservatives are far outside the American mainstream. The views of progressive activists are even further away from the views of average Americans.
The rest has a lot in common. They form an “exhausted majority.”
The rest has a lot in common. They form an “exhausted majority.”
One of the most surprising areas on which Americans agree much more than might seem obvious on Twitter, Facebook, and cable news? Political correctness.
80% of Americans—four in five!—now believe that “political correctness is a problem in our country.”
80% of Americans—four in five!—now believe that “political correctness is a problem in our country.”
Age barely predicts how Americans feel about political correctness.
Even among 24 - 29 year olds, the group most receptive to political correctness, 74% think it’s a problem.
And among the youngest, those below 24, the number goes back up to 79%!
Even among 24 - 29 year olds, the group most receptive to political correctness, 74% think it’s a problem.
And among the youngest, those below 24, the number goes back up to 79%!
Race does an even worse job than age at predicting how Americans feel about political correctness:
* Whites are more open to political correctness than average Americans
* The groups most likely to say PC is a problem are Asians (82%), Hispanics (87%) and Native-Americans (88%)
* Whites are more open to political correctness than average Americans
* The groups most likely to say PC is a problem are Asians (82%), Hispanics (87%) and Native-Americans (88%)
The only small part of the standard race story that is confirmed is that African-Americans are least likely to dislike political correctness.
But three quarters of them—only 4% less than whites and 5% less than the American average—still say that PC is a problem.
But three quarters of them—only 4% less than whites and 5% less than the American average—still say that PC is a problem.
So if age and race don’t predict support for political correctness, what does? Wealth and education.
* 83% of Americans making less than $50,000 dislike PC; 70% making over $100,000 do.
* 87% of Americans who never attended college dislike PC; 66% with a grad degree do.
* 83% of Americans making less than $50,000 dislike PC; 70% making over $100,000 do.
* 87% of Americans who never attended college dislike PC; 66% with a grad degree do.
