Language matters. Yet, over the past several years, new terminology such as “LatinX” – instead of Latino or Latina – and more recently, “birthing people,” – instead of mother – have been introduced. 

Many of the new terms being introduced into the contemporary American debate often falls along the left-right nexus and thus become part of the Culture Wars. In it, culture is simultaneously the battleground, the weapon, and the prize to be won or vanquished.

While the Culture War phenomenon has become an integral part of American life, for better or worse, what people are arguing over is constantly shifting – and often at dizzying speed. For instance, less than a decade ago, the debate over climate change became apocalyptic in nature only to be eclipsed by the #MeToo movement, then came Black Lives Matter, and now, some Americans are even “debating” what a woman is. The latest installment in the battle over culture, which in its current form rests on gender, is the introduction of the terminology: “chest feeding,” as opposed to breastfeeding. The public debate will surely move on from there once a new subject – whatever it may be – is introduced.

The curious American, however, may ask himself: where do the latest terminologies in the Culture Wars – such as “birthing people” and “chest feeding” – come from? Who invented them and why? But equally important, as the ground of America’s Culture Wars is constantly shifting, the inevitable question is: who gets to be the arbiter of culture? 

While the term “birthing people” is an extreme example of what is being introduced as social change, what is nonetheless intriguing is that many highly educated Americans are adopting these concepts as gospels. 

Another term that is frequently used in the contemporary American debate is “inclusion,” which in itself is not controversial. Most Americans want to do right by others by providing them with equal opportunity.

Cultural condescension 

But as the mantra of inclusion is being championed publicly, often through virtue signaling, what has become a near constant in American life is cultural condescension. From late-night talk-shows to mainstream newspapers and increasingly civil society, this trend has accelerated as Americans are becoming increasingly polarized over the direction of the country.

What is particularly interesting about cultural condescension – and how it plays out on late-night talk-shows in particular – is that it is nearly constantly being directed towards those less fortunate than the powerful and well-connected. In some ways, cultural condescension is the equivalent of the wealthy, good looking and healthy making fun of the poor, ugly and sick.

If you had a choice, wouldn’t you rather be the wealthy, good looking and healthy?

Or as your own “birthing person” probably told you as a child: “It’s not nice making fun of others.”

There is, of course, a fundamental disconnect between cultural condescension and the aspirational goal of fostering greater inclusion.

To understand the underlying trends engulfing the country, I reached out to one of America’s preeminent public intellectuals: Heather Mac Donald, a scholar at the Manhattan Institute, a think tank.