I mind neither division nor polarization

 

Photo by Joshua Forbes on Unsplash

Over the last four years I have heard, increasingly, comments about how divided we are, as a nation. Our public discourse is cataloged as polarized, which is given as the reason for the way we treat each other in the public arena. Division and polarization - in regards of political opinions - is being presented as something intrinsically bad for all of us, something that prevents our democracy from moving forward.

I beg to differ.

Not only I do not mind either attitude, I strongly believe they are a necessary element in our free market of ideas. Without them important social issues - like racism, injustice, mass murdering of unborn babies, etc - could go either unnoticed or poorly served. 

Division and polarization mean that people are participating, and that they are passionate about the issues at hand. They also mean that we are deeply interested in finding a solution, here and now, for what we consider to be a fundamental error, intentional or not, in the fabric of our nation.

But, what about all the ugly, nasty exchanges we all have witnessed? What about all the name calling, bulling, derogatory comments? It is true that the quality of our national conversation has decreased considerably, lately. But I do not believe the root of the problem is either division or polarization.

I need people who are polarized, if I sincerely aspire to improve as a person, and if I desire to test the validity of my ideas. I need people passionate about exactly the opposite point of view I myself am passionate about; otherwise I am living in a bubble that will only serve as an environment for self-fulfilling prophesies.

Where is the problem, then?

The problem is in our anthropology. The problem is what we really believe about what it means to be human. 

When we equate the quality of an idea to the worth of the person holding that idea, then we'll have the beginning of the deterioration of our dialogue. When we cannot make a distinction between an idea and a person, when we believe that confronting an idea is the same as attacking the person, then we'll have the exchanges we have seen in the last few years.

This is not an issue of being republicans or democrats; it is an issue of the heart.

A hallmark of our democracy is not that we all have the same opinion, that we all think in the same way, that we all share the same passions. A hallmark of our democracy is the fact that we can express our differences with profound respect for each other and that, at the end of the debate, we still have an appreciation for our fellow Americans.

Interaction with respect, that is what will make our national conversation productive. 

For everyone.

Consider this.

What is more important to you: ideas or people?

How do you show respect for ideas that are not from your own camp?

What do you believe being human really means?