What (Exactly) Is The “Mainstream” ?
By William Bailey (11/03/03)
For a number of years now, I have heard reference made to being “out of the mainstream”. It seemed to me to be a rather elusive term . . . one that didn’t have a “hard and fast” definition and/or application. So, as I do most of the time when I come upon a situation of this type, I took the time to see what a couple of different dictionaries had to say.
According to the New World Dictionary, “mainstream” is defined as, “the prevailing current or direction of a movement or influence.” The Collins English Dictionary defines the term as, “the main current of a river, cultural trend, etc.” Even after determining what the dictionaries (two of them) had to say, it still wasn’t’ clear to me exactly what this term meant in its current usage.
After recalling some of the times I have heard the term used recently, I have come to this conclusion . . . the “mainstream” is in the “eye of the beholder”. I suspect that, when someone says that someone else is “out of the mainstream”, it simply means that they don’t agree with a particular position being taken by the one using the term. And, when it’s used that way, it obviously carries a negative connotation.
The way things seem to be going these days, if you believe that we should return to government the way the Constitution of the United States provides . . . if you believe in fiscal soundness . . . if you believe that elected officials should honor their oaths of office . . . if you believe that government has gotten too big in terms of both size and power . . . if you believe that government cannot become bigger and more powerful without infringing upon or taking way personal liberty and freedom . . . if you believe that government should not be the “care giver” from the “cradle to the grave” . . . if you believe that personal responsibility is still important . . . then, it would appear that you are now “out of the mainstream”. For if you listen to the politicians and pay heed to the media, you will soon come to the conclusion that that’s what the majority of Americans believe. And, if holding those beliefs means being “out of the mainstream”, I guess that’s where I am. Further, it that’s what it means, quite frankly I’m proud of it. Maybe, just maybe, being in the “mainstream” means that you “go along with the flow”.
Being quite honest (which I always attempt to be), I believe that there are a substantial number of Americans out there who hold the same (or similar) beliefs as stated above. This would be the group that, some years ago, got dubbed “the silent majority”. I can hear the Colonel from M.A.S.H. responding when told that most Americans don’t believe in the Constitution and favor bigger and more powerful central government. His comment would be, “horse hockey”.
It would also seem that the current use of the term would eliminate people like, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, et al, from the “mainstream”. If that be so, thank God they were.
Maybe those who think they are in the “mainstream” are there because they “go along to get along”. Perhaps they don’t have the wherewithal (courage) to “swim against the tide”.
Being “in the mainstream” might mean that you’re “all wet” . . . if that’s what it means . . . thank you very much, I would prefer standing on the bank watching as the current takes the ”mainstreamers” to whatever their ultimate destination might be. And, I don’t think I would be “on the bank” alone.
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