Political Polarization

When I think of a global issue that concerns me, my mind fixes on the growing polarity of conversation. We live in a world that is becoming more and more divided. When I turn on the news today, all I see is one side yelling at the other and vice-versa. And this can be very problematic as productive conversation is needed to make meaningful decisions.

I believe that this growing divide is caused by a complex interplay between the media, and its consumers. For example, If you follow a story on Fox News, and then read the same story on CNN, you’ll find that both sources warp the story to fit a political ideology. So what? You might be asking. Well, Pew Research Center conducted a study into the political division of the conservative and democratic parties. They found that the average political partisan gap has grown from 15% in 1994, to 36% in 2017. This data is relevant because as society grows more and more apart, people begin to consume the news they want to hear instead of objective, bi-partisan facts. I think the media tailors their product to the beliefs of their consumers. And similarly, the consumer is consuming the content that aligns with their views.

But it’s not just the big news sources contributing to this, social media is also a big contributor to this problem. Regardless of your views, you can often find a celebrity or notable figure whose political views reinforce yours. And oppositions to their views, are swatted away like flies. People aren’t willing to hear another person’s point of view. And again, this is problematic. If you’re only willing to hear one perspective, then how can you make a good decision? I like to illustrate it like this, the party’s share the same problems, but the arguments are over the solutions. And it’s gotten to a point where both sides are fed up with each other.

I write this article to encourage people to open their minds and listen to others' opinions. We all need to recognize our similarities and use that bond to create Meaningful discussion.