During an episode of Madam Secretary Secretary McCord used and explained the term “baseline syndrome.” In the story it referred to the creep of climate change. Each generation starts at a higher temperature and a more damaged ecology than the previous generation did so they don’t feel the cumulative change and damage.

The same term can apply to many situations. In the military it is called mission creep. We send 500 troops in a year with little discussion. The next year another 750 are sent which gets little discussion because it’s a little more than last year but less than 1,000. A 1,000 is big enough to sound huge. Carefully timed steps are better than one big step.

Small budget cuts that pertain to a small number of people are easier to get through than a bigger more widespread cut. Cumulative cuts are less provocative to many groups or people.

A public official might abhor any corruption but watch a game from a V.I.P. Box. The official might then allow their child to take a high paid job from someone who wants some help on some pending legislation.

A generation ago we valued our privacy. Today people put their most intimate details on social media for strangers to read.

Television, broadcast and cable shows get more risqué and violent each year as people get used to the previous level. Talk shows drag their audiences farther left and right to keep their share of ratings.

Baseline Syndrome is why those of my age group are able to talk about “the good ole’ days.”