The culture war has become even more fiery over the past 10 years. The conflict between the left and the right has intensified as America’s division has widened. It does not appear that the societal fissure we are seeing today will close anytime soon. But recent developments suggests that the tide might soon turn with much of the public turning against the left, which has historically held the upper hand in battle.

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of Americans identifying as social conservatives, according to a recent poll conducted by Gallup. While various factors contribute to this shift, I believe there is one overarching impetus behind this paradigm change: The reality that the far left has become far too aggressive for its own good in foisting its ideas and beliefs on the rest of the populace.

The report found that Americans are more likely to identify as conservative on economic issues than on social issues. The rise in social conservatism may impact legislation on hot-button topics such as transgender rights and abortion, particularly in Republican-dominated states:

More Americans this year (38%) say they are very conservative or conservative on social issues than said so in 2022 (33%) and 2021 (30%). At the same time, the percentage saying their social views are very liberal or liberal has dipped to 29% from 34% in each of the past two years, while the portion identifying as moderate (31%) remains near a third.

The last time this many Americans said they were socially conservative was 2012, during a period when consistently more U.S. adults identified as conservative rather than liberal on social issues.

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The increase in conservative identification on social issues over the past two years is seen among nearly all political and demographic subgroups. Republicans show one of the largest increases, from 60% in 2021 to 74% today. Independents show a modest uptick of five percentage points, from 24% to 29%, while there has been no change among Democrats (10% in both 2021 and 2023).

This is certainly a welcome development for the conservative and liberty movements, which have struggled to win significant victories against the left when it comes to changing minds. But it appears a paradigm shift is occurring. As much as I would like to attribute it to efforts being made by folks on the right, it seems to me that more of the impetus behind this change has to do with progressives overplaying their hand and turning people off to their ridiculous and destructive ideas.

Let’s take what’s happening in schools, for example. The hard left has been trying to indoctrinate children into accepting their ideology for years. They have had much success in doing so because most people were unaware of what is being taught in K-12 schools.

But now, concerns have been raised about curricula that emphasize particular social and cultural perspectives without fostering a balanced and open-minded approach. Critics claim that this approach leaves little room for students to explore alternative viewpoints, potentially pushing them towards social conservatism as a response to feeling silenced or marginalized. Even worse, the efforts to influence young minds is being viewed by many as a pernicious threat to their children – and rightly so.

Cancel culture, defined as the practice of ostracizing or publicly shaming individuals for holding divergent views, is another example. It has become a contentious issue in contemporary society. Some argue that the far left’s aggressive implementation of cancel culture has fostered an environment of fear and self-censorship, suppressing free expression and open dialogue, which is precisely left’s intention. The perception that expressing conservative opinions may lead to personal and professional consequences has prompted a defensive reaction among some, further entrenching social conservatism. As it turns out, people don’t like being told what they can and can’t say. Who’da thunk it?

There is also the issue of “woke” corporatism. In recent years, there has been growing pressure on corporations to align themselves with certain ideological stances promoted by the far left. From issues such as gender equality to climate change, companies are increasingly expected to adopt specific positions or risk backlash from activists and consumers. The controversies over Bud Light, Target, and even Chick-fil-A illustrate this reality. The perception that corporations are kowtowing to leftist ideology has fueled resentment among those who hold conservative values, which seems to have led to a reaffirmation of social conservatism as a response.

The digital age has brought unprecedented connectivity, but it has also witnessed the rise of online censorship, a tactic progressives have employed to great effect to shut down their political opposition on social media platforms. Some individuals feel that social media platforms, search engines, and other online spaces have become biased against conservative viewpoints. Instances of de-platforming, shadow banning, and algorithmic bias have revealed the authoritarianism that has grown rampant on the left. The perception of a digital landscape that stifles dissenting opinions may contribute to a strengthened identification with social conservatism.

The increase in Americans identifying as social conservatives may, at least in part, be a response to what some perceive as overly heavy-handed tactics employed by the far left. Concerns about indoctrination in schools, the impact of cancel culture, corporate pressure to conform to specific ideologies, and online censorship have prompted a defensive reaction among individuals who hold conservative values.

Of course, I’m not trying to dismiss the efforts made by right-leaning politicians, influencers, and other members of the chattering class. We have done much to move the needle through alternative media and other means. But now is the time to make a concerted effort to push liberty while taking advantage of the weaknesses inherent in the authoritarian left.