Culture war concept
In March of 2023, Oxford University Press listed culture war as the word of the month. This report defined cultural war as an intense conflict between groups that have different cultural ideals and beliefs, especially between conservative and liberal groups. The report stated that the term was coined by James Davison Hunter, and it’s called a war because each side is focused on attacking the other. Culture wars are more than just two political parties competing to persuade an electorate about a certain agenda. As the report highlighted, culture wars are about both sides attempting to impose their will by personally insulting others who hold opposing viewpoints, seeking ways to cancel the social and professional lifestyles of others, and preventing others from participating in public debates.
A 2024 report by ABC News described how many colleges and universities have become the center of the current cultural wars in America. This report is supported by last week’s report by the American Council on Education, which outlined how higher education associations are questioning the federal government regarding the nationwide revocations of student visas.
There are historical trends that many emerging adults have displayed during previous cultural wars in the United States. These trends may not indicate which side of the culture war that the younger generation will side with. If fact, the first trend is that many young and emerging adults appear to become disillusioned with politics and politicians.
Many Emerging Adults Become Disillusioned During Culture Wars
According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Springtide Research Institute, more than half of the young people between the ages of 13 and 25 did not identify with either one of the two major political parties. The survey suggested that many young adults felt jaded by politicians and viewed politics as performative and divisive. A 2024 report by the America Enterprise Institute elaborated on this finding by reporting that 68% of younger Americans believe that adults have done a poor job handling political issues in the U.S.
There’s evidence that these findings reflect historical trends displayed during previous culture wars. A 2025 updated report on History.com listed President Reagan’s election win in 1980 as one of the largest presidential landslides in history, and described this election as a dominate win for the “American right.” However, as described by another 2025 updated report on History.com, 1981 was the year that Music Television was launched. According to a 1998 article in Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies, MTV’s goal was to break the political disillusionment among young adults, and it was initially viewed as detrimental to the democratic order.
Many Emerging Adults Focus On Specific Issues During Culture Wars
It appears that many emerging adults focus more on specific issues rather than engaging in the overarching political process. For example, the AEI report stated that 46% of young adults stated that politics is not at all important or among the least important things in their lives, and just 19% described politics as among the most important things in their lives. However, a 2024 report on Forbes found that one in four students will rule out colleges based on state politics or policies.
These findings mirror the behaviors displayed by young adults during the counterculture movement in the 1960s. A 2025 report by the American Archive of Public Broadcasting discussed how the culture war during this time was fueled by college students protesting issues including the Vietnam War and racial injustice. However, 2014 report on Census.gov found that during the 1960s, the voting rate of Americans between the ages of 18 to 25 was significantly lower than the voting rates of Americans over the age of 25.
Many Emerging Adults Become Future Leaders Because of Culture Wars
A 2015 report by the History News Network attributed the first solar panel, pesticide free fruits, and even personal computers to the “hippies” of the 1970s after winning a culture war. It’s possible that culture wars can also produce a new generation of politicians. Last week, TheWrap, a digital media company, reported that Pete Buttigieg, the former Secretary of Transportation, discussed a possible “generational churn” within the Democratic political party.
Many emerging adults will naturally become future leaders in the world. However, the disillusionment of a culture war, and the focus on specific issues, could increase the national spotlight on the younger generation. History suggests that, at some point, the younger generation will capitalize on this spotlight.
