Post #9 EOTO 2 KEY POST

 In my EOTO presentation number two, I researched and discussed something called The Overton window. This is a theory that talks about what kinds of ideas and policies are okay for people to talk about in politics. Basically, the theory says that what people think is okay to talk about in politics can change over time. For example, the window often has a few categories within it, it allows politicians to know what is appropriate to talk about publicly and assess the climate of the media at the time and on the specific topic. This can happen because of different things like how society thinks about things, what the media says, or what people in general believe. Sometimes views and ideas that are not accepted in the past can change and be accepted in the present, that would be an example of a window shift.  

The concept of the Overton window has been intensely discussed in political science and journalism about politics and public speaking in front of the media.  The Overton window takes a lot of influence over popular politicians and popular media personnel that help it shift in the direction they want it to go. It has also been used to shift the view in public opinion on issues such as same-sex marriage, marijuana legalization, transgender rights, COVID, etc. The Overton Window can be considered a dangerous tool for politicians and media to use because it changes the opinions of the public in favor of the people controlling it. They use it to make it okay to talk about certain things in the public eye and help campaigns but it can also have a negative impact on you if you are not careful.  

In my presentation, I give examples of what the Overton Window is as well as how it is used in modern-day politics. The window is different on every different media channel you will come across as well as different politician figures. However, the opening of the window is big enough for all of them to know what to and what not to talk about to the public. A strong example of this is Donald Trump, he constantly pushed the boundaries of the window and it got him into some pretty controversial situations. He was never fully conscious of the window and wanted to say whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. There are a lot of people that respect this because it allowed for bigger and better conversations about sensitive topics. There were a few times however that he crossed the line but overall he expanded the opening in a good way and allowed a lot more controversial topics to enter into the discussion. 

    Overall, the Overton Window is a very important thing in todays political climate as well as in the media. It keeps everyone in line when speaking about sensitive topics and is a very good way to proctor a political debate in front of the public, while the boundaries do get pushed and it can be controversial sometimes, the fact that it is ever-shifting is a good thing for our government and our community.