Political Polarization

So there’s some debate these days over the intense political polarization we are caught up in, in this country.  Is it new, is it uniquely American, is it caused (or exacerbated) by social media, is it economically driven?

None of the above.  It’s existed since the beginnings of civilization, it’s happening in every country (witness European strife these days), social media is just how we hear about it 24/7 and it has nothing to do with the economy, but the hard times do tend to make everyone more easily upset.

I have a theory.  I think it’s growing worse now in the US because of the increasing loss of white male privilege.  Think about it.  Things were polarized before, but after the Civil War the blacks gained freedom.  Then the women got uppity and got the right to vote.  Then the blacks got the freedom to not be segregated.  Then blacks and whites got the freedom to marry.  Then women got even more uppity.  Then our immigrants started being more brown in color.  And now the friggin’ gays are acting like they deserve to have civil rights, too.  What’s a white man to do?  

Archie Bunker would be a Teahadist, today.