The March of Dimes Syndrome
Concept and related theories
- Commenters link “March of Dimes syndrome” to existing ideas: Shirky Principle, Parkinson’s Law, “Iron Law of Institutions,” and “systemantics” (systems seek self‑preservation).
- Some argue the label is misapplied: the original charity pivoted to new health problems, which looks like normal mission adaptation, not pathology.
- Others distinguish two phenomena:
- Solving one category of problem then finding more of that type to work on.
- Refusing to admit success and continually tightening standards within the same issue area.
Activism and “moving goalposts”
- One side: activism often escalates demands to maintain relevance and funding, turning improvement into a reason to intensify rhetoric rather than wind down.
- Counterpoint: activists naturally move to the “next” problem or to defense of gains; that’s analogous to continuing product work after one feature ships.
- Some say this is an issue with all institutions and “career activists,” not just progressives; others emphasize it is more an “activist” dynamic than a left/right one.
Culture‑war examples and disputes
- Thread heavily debates LGBTQ rights, race, and #MeToo:
- Some accept the article’s framing that definitions of harm and discrimination have expanded (e.g., sexual misconduct, hate groups).
- Many argue the opposite: rights are fragile and currently regressing, so continued alarm is warranted.
- There is extended back‑and‑forth over:
- Whether refusing services for same‑sex weddings is discrimination against people vs. objection to an “event/message.”
- What counts as inappropriate sexual content in schools vs. exaggerated moral panic.
- Trans participation in sports as a complex, sport‑specific fairness issue.
Legal, moral, and practical tensions
- Disagreement over where to draw lines between:
- Religious or expressive freedom and civil‑rights protections in public accommodations.
- Legitimate concern vs. manufactured “outrage cycles” in conservative media.
- Some stress that even if discrimination persists covertly, overt discrimination should remain illegal.
Critique of the article and source
- Multiple commenters call the piece propaganda from a conservative think‑tank, with cherry‑picked culture‑war examples and strawman descriptions of progressive causes.
- Others see at least a partial truth in the institutional incentive critique, while rejecting the article’s selective and partisan framing.
- The origin and neutrality of the term “March of Dimes syndrome” itself is questioned; it may be very recent and ideologically loaded.