‘People are picking the dumbest fights’: the tortured history of America’s culture wars
Author Isaac Butler explores the origins of the American culture wars, tracing them back to the 1980s and the politicization of art. He argues that the current era represents a second, more intense phase of these societal conflicts.
Why it matters
Understanding the historical roots of modern polarization provides context for current debates surrounding art, media, and political discourse.
Christians protest outside the Ziegfeld Theater in Manhattan, against Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988 Christians protest outside the Ziegfeld Theater in Manhattan, against Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988 Books ‘People are picking the dumbest fights’: the tortured history of America’s culture wars In a new book, Isaac Butler goes back to the 1980s to trace how battles started against the arts, from Piss Christ to Mapplethorpe, and looks at what we can learn for today
David Smith in Washington Wed 15 Jul 2026 05.00 EDT Last modified on Wed 15 Jul 2026 05.01 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Isaac Butler is limbering up for an event at Politics and Prose, an independent bookshop and venerable Washington institution, but still has time to explain his arm tattoos.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in