How would you describe the United States politically in the 2010s?

[EJ24]

Most on Atlas have described the 2000s as a very socially and economically conservative decade. How has this changed during the 2010s?

Have we shifted left due to things like the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, the Bernie Sanders progressive movement?

Or have we shifted to the right with the rise of the Tea Party, Donald Trump, the alt-right movement?

Is this unchartered territory like we've never seen?

[Sumner 1868]

The decade had a series of bizarre "movements" left and right, but none of them accomplished any of their goals or even came close in doing so. All in all, not much either side can boast about.

What I think the 2010s does stand out for is the growing public acceptance across-the-board for militarism, surveillance, torture, and demonizing anyone who opposes any or all the above. The peaceful ideals espoused by resisters during the Vietnam era are pretty much entirely dead in America.

[Blue3]

This decade isn't about left or right.

It is about the rise of populism and extremism.

[Middle-aged Europe]

It's a madhouse.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Weird...just, weird.

[Grassroots]

It became more populist, there was no left or right trend.

[Antonio the Sixth]

A hellish clusterf**k.

[brucejoel99]

"I don't know why everybody has their guns pointed at each other &, at this point, I'm too afraid to ask."

[darklordoftech]

What I think the 2010s does stand out for is the growing public acceptance across-the-board for militarism, surveillance, torture, and demonizing anyone who opposes any or all the above. The peaceful ideals espoused by resisters during the Vietnam era are pretty much entirely dead in America.

This sounds like 2001 (from 9/11 on) and 2002.

[Non Swing Voter]

Rise of extremism on both sides, but on balance I would say it has trended slightly left on almost all cultural issues even if the SCOTUS has shifted to the right.

[tallguy23]

Rise of extremism on both sides, but on balance I would say it has trended slightly left on almost all cultural issues even if the SCOTUS has shifted to the right.

This.