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Look at the news or scroll through social media, and you’ll soon notice that it feels like we are constantly fighting. We argue about history books, statues, and what bathrooms people use.

These heated battles are merely part of a larger culture war that’s being waged all across the United States.

This culture war is loud and angry, with both sides refusing to give in and be understood across the aisle.

But what if these fights are not really about morality or truth? What if they are a tool used by the powerful?

Author Dennis Joiner, in his book The Turn, argues that this culture war is a product of political greed, corruption, and the shaping of America’s culture. What we see as an interminable conflict is actually a show put on by the political elite to distract everyone from the real problems.

While we are busy yelling at each other, the people in power keep making decisions that benefit only themselves. They avoid making the big, systemic changes that would actually help most people.

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What Is a Culture War?

A culture war, at its most basic definition, is a clash of values. What is happening now is an ideological conflict about society’s core beliefs. These fights can range from being about symbols to words to traditions. Many of these topics include race, gender, religion, and national pride. These issues can feel incredibly personal to those who’ve been sucked into participating in the culture war–and that’s often why people become very emotional.

But these conflicts are not natural disasters.

They are carefully managed by the people at the top. Joiner points out that the culture war is not really about the issues themselves but about power, plain and simple. He writes that this battle isn’t about morality or ethics in any genuine sense. Instead, it is a staged fight.

The political elite fund and promote these arguments. They use TV news, social media, and politicians to keep the culture war burning. Why would they do this? Because a divided population is easier to control.

The Machinery of the Culture War

The culture war, as with every machine, does not and cannot run itself. Fuel is needed–and the fuel that the culture war machine demands comes from powerful people and groups with significant wealth.

This collective’s goal is not to find answers but to keep the fight going forever.

First, media outlets make money from anger. News channels and websites know that fear and outrage get clicks and views. They take complex issues and turn them into simple, emotional stories that anyone can understand. They invite guests in who only know how to scream at each other, creating and reinforcing political tribalism.

In the culture war, you pick your team—red or blue, left or right—and you defend it no matter what, no matter the evidence, and no matter what it takes. You stop listening to the other side.

As Joiner suggests, this tribalism keeps us from seeing the whole picture because we are so focused on beating the “other side” that we ignore who is actually winning.

Second, politicians use the culture war to get votes. It is easier to win an election if you make people afraid of the other candidate and the supposed values they follow. Instead of talking about boring policy like tax laws or healthcare systems, they talk about a threat to your way of life. They promise to fight for you in this ideological conflict.

But after the election, the systemic problems are often left untouched. The culture war is a perfect distraction. Joiner explains that this strategy “shifts the focus from collective economic interests to divisive social issues.” We argue about a celebrity’s tweet while laws that help big corporations get passed quietly.

The Real Issues Behind the Curtain

So, what are we being distracted from? The real issues are often about money, power, and fairness. These are systemic problems. They require big, difficult changes.

Think about the cost of healthcare and medicine. Many people struggle to pay for doctor visits or pills. This is a system problem. Yet, the political debate is often about moral politics surrounding health, not about fixing the system.

Think about wages. For decades, pay for most workers has barely risen, while housing and education costs have soared. At the same time, the very richest people have seen their wealth explode. This is a huge problem of inequality. But instead of an honest debate about fair wages and taxes, we get a culture war fight about what is taught in an economics class.

Think about corruption. When big companies can pay money to influence laws, that is a threat to democracy. When politicians vote for laws that help their donors, that is political greed. But discussing this is complicated. It is easier to start a new culture war battle over a flag or an anthem. That grabs everyone’s attention.

Joiner’s book shows that these power struggles are not between everyday citizens. The real power struggles are between the public and the elite who want to keep things just as they are. The culture war is a smoke screen. It hides the fact that on many big economic issues, the two political parties are often not that different. They both serve the same powerful interests.

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The Cost of Constant Conflict

This endless culture war hurts all of us. It breaks down our communities. Neighbors start to see each other as enemies. Families stop talking at the dinner table. We lose our ability to compromise and work together. This disunity makes it impossible for people to demand better from their leaders. We are too busy fighting each other.

It also makes us tired and cynical. When every day brings a new social media scandal, people burn out. They either get angrier or they tune out completely. They stop participating in politics altogether. This is exactly what the political elite wants. An angry, divided, or apathetic population will not unite to challenge them.

The culture war also blocks real progress. Solving big problems like climate change or poverty requires national cooperation. It requires seeing ourselves as one country. The culture war teaches us to see only our tribe. How can we come together to fix healthcare if we are told the other side wants to destroy America? The constant ideological conflict makes systemic change seem impossible.

Ready to see beyond the distraction? Buy Dennis Joiner’s The Turn and learn how to turn the page on the political elite’s games.