We All Hate How Polarized We've Become . . . So What Are We Doing About It?
How should we respond to the polarization and division in our society?
A lot of people from both sides of the political divide agree on one thing—they say they hate the way we’re so polarized and divided. Is there anything we can do about it? How did we come to this point? You could write a whole book about how we got here, but just a little background could be helpful. (If you don’t want the background, you might want to skim through the next few paragraphs!)
The first thing we need to acknowledge is that democratic nations require compromise for their governments to function well. This is certainly true of the U.S. There’s a particular unwieldiness to the structure and operation of our government that was intentionally planned from the beginning. When people get frustrated at their party’s inability to enact a conservative or progressive agenda in toto, they’re really just frustrated with the design of our political system. The founders didn’t want one political party dictating policy to the other (or one branch of government dominating the other two). They intended for different political factions to have to work together to craft legislation. This requires compromise, where neither party gets everything they want. That’s the way legislation is supposed to work.
This is also why our country has tended to shift back and forth from center right governments to center left. The need to work with the other side is supposed to have a moderating effect, eliminating most of the more extreme measures from either side. This can occasionally lead to a shared complacency about certain issues, but it also creates an incredibly stable government, with a lot of continuity from administration to administration over the decades. This is healthy for a nation (and for the world), and provides a necessary, solid basis from which to bring about needed discontinuity or change.
Most of us are familiar with stories of previous generations of politicians who could fight tooth and nail for their agenda, hammer out a compromise that addressed concerns of both parties, and the whole time maintain warm friendships with politicians on the other side of the aisle. That’s precisely the way the system was intended to work. But, sadly, this is becoming a rarity.
People noticed a disturbing new trend in the early 1990s. Certain politicians adopted an overt strategy of demonizing their opponents. Their political opponents were no longer considered merely wrong—they were now evil. The other party’s policies weren’t thought of anymore as well-intentioned (even if they might have been misguided)—they were now described as intentional attempts to destroy America. These congressmen began to approach politics as all out war, and they were willing to use any dirty trick necessary to defeat the enemy—short of violating the constitution itself.
This new approach had its successes and setbacks. At times, an intransigence against anything from the other side would paralyze everything in Washington; at other times the parties could still work together to pass bipartisan legislation. But where this new attitude made its biggest inroads was in the hearts and minds of voters. Many people eagerly embraced a view of the other party as evil plotters against America. And there were media personalities all too happy to perpetuate and intensify these perceptions (and profit handsomely from it). Many came to see any compromise with the other side as betrayal, becoming too cozy with the Washington establishment, and not faithfully fighting for the cause. They only wanted people in Congress who would take the hardest, most rigid stand against the other party (even if all this did was temporarily shut down the government).
Political parties are usually not monolithic, and this extreme approach didn’t describe everyone in any particular party. But with succeeding movements and developments, this kind of thinking became more and more influential. It’s reached a fever pitch the last few years. In the Republican presidential primary leading up to the 2016 election, possibly the greatest political handicap for candidate Marco Rubio was the fact he had dared to work with Republicans and Democrats to try to reform the immigration system. This wasn’t seen as something to be commended, but as a shameful weakness that made him vulnerable to attack.
This attitude has even affected how some members of Congress relate to their own party. Our current Congress has experienced infighting among the majority party unlike anything we’ve witnessed before. It took them four days and fifteen attempts before they could elect a Speaker of the House (the Speaker of the House is virtually always elected by their party on the first attempt), only to oust their own, newly-elected Speaker from office nine months later. It then took them three weeks and four successive candidates to elect a new Speaker. Not surprisingly, this Congress has passed shockingly little legislation. This level of chaos is unprecedented in our history, and it’s toxic for the nation.
All of this would make it easy for us to simply blame our polarized state on the politicians, but that wouldn’t be accurate or fair. First of all, this attitude isn’t true of all politicians. Many members of Congress seek election to actually do the hard work of legislation, wanting to productively serve their districts, states and nation. They find the present chaotic mess painfully frustrating and deeply embarrassing. Consequently, the last few years we’ve witnessed an exodus from Congress that’s also unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Secondly, we need to realize that these extreme, polarizing politicians are simply doing what their constituents want them to. In many districts, if their representatives aren’t extreme and polarizing enough, they’ll face a primary challenge from someone even more extreme and polarizing. A large number of the more mature members of Congress—who are willing to compromise and put together bipartisan legislation—are either leaving or being voted out of office. Many of these people say they’ve actually become scared of their own constituents. While this is happening, much more radical people are taking their place in Congress, people who have no interest in legislation. They’re not going to Congress to do the hard work of legislating, they’re going to wage war on the other party (and often against their own party, as well).
So who’s driving the polarization of our government? The voters. Why is Washington so polarized and divided? Because we keep sending polarizing and divisive people to Washington. Who’s the problem? We are. Can we do anything to help our country be less polarized and divided? Here are three suggestions:
1. Don’t be polarizing and divisive.
Do you assume people in the other party (from you) are evil, unintelligent or plotting to destroy the country? Do you think nothing good or worthwhile could ever come from the other party, that they could never have a valid insight or concern? Do you mock, insult or make fun of the other party with your friends or online? Then stop . . . you’re part of the problem! Make a friend who belongs to the opposing party, spend time listening to them, and learn what makes them tick. (If you don’t have anyone in your church from the other party—then that’s also part of the problem!)
2. Don’t listen to polarizing and divisive people.
Read the descriptions again in the last paragraph. Now think about the people you regularly listen to or watch on TV or online. What kind of attitude do they have toward their political opponents? One of frank, but respectful, engagement? Or one that looks more like the last paragraph? Do the people you listen to bring out the best in you, or the worst? Do they help you seek for truth—whatever it is? Or do they make you angry and afraid? Should Christians be motivated by anger and fear? Are you routinely listening to polarizing and divisive people?
What about your friends, the people with whom you discuss politics (either in person or online)? Do they inspire you to be more like Jesus, to be emotionally mature and balanced in the way you engage your political opponents? Or do they provide a safe space for you to express prejudice and animosity toward the other side? Do these friends bring out the best in you, or the worst? Are you spending time with polarizing and divisive people?
Years ago, a friend who was in a recovery ministry shared with me a wise reminder he had picked up from the group: If you don’t want to slip, avoid slippery places. The Bible tells us: “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble [Proverbs 13:20],” and “bad company corrupts good character [1 Corinthians 15:33].” In Proverbs, the “fool” isn’t someone who’s unintelligent, but one who’s rebellious, defiant toward authority, and who knowingly rejects the wisdom of God. Are you walking with fools? Is the company you keep polarizing and divisive?
What we regularly watch or listen to affects and even molds us mentally, emotionally and spiritually. So what’s molding and shaping you? What’s affecting the way you think and the values you hold?
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Romans 12:2
If you’re regularly listening to or watching polarizing and divisive people, or these are the kinds of people with whom you spend a lot of time—stop—that’s part of the problem.
3. Don’t vote for polarizing and divisive people.
This should be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, it will likely offend some people reading this. But let’s think about it. If you had a friend who weighed 800 lbs, and they were expressing profound dissatisfaction with their weight, while eating their fourth hot fudge sundae—do you think you might feel the need to point out the cause and effect reality of their intake of calories related to their excessive weight? (I don’t use this illustration to shame anyone who struggles with their weight; I would be the last to do that!) Let’s be real with each other. Why are there polarizing and divisive people in Washington? Because we the people sent them there! How can we eliminate, or at least reduce, the polarization and division in Washington? Stop voting for polarizing and divisive people!
Do you vote for people who demonize and dehumanize the other party? Do you vote for people who regularly mock, ridicule, insult and make fun of their political opponents? (I don’t mean pointing out inconsistencies, errors or bad behavior on the other side—I’m talking about blatant mocking, ridiculing and insulting.) Do you vote for people who refuse to work with the other side, or who won’t show respect to those on the other side? If we’re voting for people like this, guess what? We’re the problem.
I keep thinking of the old Coldplay lyric:
Am I a part of the cure?
Or am I part of the disease?
We need to realize we’re the consumers. The politicians will keep selling us what we’re buying until we stop. buying. it. If we want our world to change, it doesn’t start at the top. It starts with us. So either just embrace the polarization and division . . . or stop embracing the polarization and division.
I love the story of Vince Lombardi when he took over as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. They weren’t doing so well. Lombardi carefully observed the team before actually taking over as coach, and identified the problem: poor execution of the fundamentals. They weren’t blocking well, they weren’t tackling well, they weren’t handling the ball well. So, for his first introduction to the team as coach, he walked in and held up a football. “Gentlemen,” he said, “this is a football.” He took them right back to the fundamentals, because that’s what they were forgetting. The rest is history.
Brothers and sisters, what I’m talking about in this post isn’t quantum physics. It’s not complex political science. These are fundamentals of who we’re supposed to be as followers of Jesus. This goes to the core and character of who we are as Christians. Scripture is very clear that light has no fellowship with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). It makes no sense for us to decry the polarization and division in our society, while we’re supporting and empowering the polarization and division in our society. What could be more contrary to the loving relationship and fellowship for which we’re supposed to be known? If there’s going to be change, it has to begin with us. With me. And with you. So . . . are you going to be part of the cure . . . or part of the disease?
Related posts:
Discussing Politics in Church?
What is Christian Nationalism, and Why Is It So Dangerous?
What Does Christian Character Look Like?
Was Jesus a Conservative or a Progressive?
Playing Fair: Defining the Terms We Use
Did God Use Evil People in the Bible?