In this episode of Reimagining Us, co-hosts Nichole Argo and Scott Hutcheson delve deeper into the pervasive dynamics of toxic polarization, exploring how societal divisions manifest as "us versus them" thinking in our own lives and communities, and how awareness and intentionality enables us to counter it.

They are joined by Dr. Peter Coleman, author of The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization and a renowned expert in conflict resolution. Peter opens with a Cherokee parable that highlights the agency each of us has in choosing to feed positivity or negativity within ourselves and our society. He notes, however, that our brains are wired to react to perceived threats, and this mechanism can be manipulated by actors employing zero-sum frames and extreme political rhetoric on social media and mainstream national news sources. But tribalism is not the only game in town! Peter highlights the growing movement of bridge-building initiatives across the U.S. and emphasizes that positive societal change will come from individual and community efforts to foster connection and mutual respect. He offers five actionable strategies for bridging differences in our own challenged relationships: (1) Reset; (2) Look for positives; (3) Complicate the narrative; (4) Move together; and (5) Adapt.

Next, Stephen Hawkins, the Director of Research at More in Common, describes how two-thirds of Americans, the exhausted majority feel alienated by today’s polarization. While diverse politically, ideologically, and demographically, this group shares a desire for compromise and less adversarial politics. Stephen then introduces the perception gap—how Americans often misjudge the views of those across the political aisle, exaggerating their extremity. Politically engaged and highly educated individuals tend to have the most distorted perceptions— in part because they are more exposed to ideologically charged news and have limited cross-partisan relationships. Stephen notes that awareness of the perception gap can reduce polarization and build warmth across divides. He calls on listeners to take small but impactful steps, like: (1) consuming more diverse media, and intentionally seeking news from sources that challenge their own views, (2) sharing corrected perceptions of the “other team” within their trusted networks to break echo chambers, (3) starting curious conversations across differences, and (4) serving as bridge-builders in their communities.

For more information or to share your stories and feedback, email info@togetherup.org, or comment on YouTube and Social Media @togetherupinstitute 

Call to Action:

In your own challenged relationships: 

• (1) Reset; (2) Look for positives; (3) Complicate the narrative; (4) Move together; (5) Adapt (listen to the interview for more detail)

More broadly:

• Seek out diverse perspectives in your media consumption.


• Build relationships with people across divides.


• Share insights on the exhausted majority and the perception gap within your network, and correct misconceptions when you become aware of them.

For more information: 

• Pick up Peter Coleman’s book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization
  


• Take the 30-day Polarization Detox Challenge, a partnership between Peter Coleman and Starts With Us 


• Check out just how much Americans have in common by exploring More in Common’s research: www.moreincommon.com.