I did a search recently on “the great political divide.” (And let me say for a mere tangent moment, it’s amazing all the things one can search for on Google…) But I was curious. What would arise?
The results were many, with first headlines as follows…
- “In America Today, What Is The Real Political Divide?”
- “The New Political Divide”
- And “Three Ways Marketers Can Bridge Today’s Great Political Divide”
The following comments from those articles were also insightful…
- “A recent PEW Research study found that half of Democrats and half of Republicans actually fear the other party…”
- “For years now a majority of Americans have realized that neither of the so-called major political parties represents them.”
And perhaps the one that struck me most this day, from Lindsey Lorel, a senior ad agency strategist in Advertising Age, written three weeks ago…
- “… This past election has shown us that America is struggling to find that common ground. At its worst, we’ve witnessed acts of hate. And at its most civil, we’ve seen carefully constructed judgments posted to the echoing walls of Facebook users. The nation is more divided than ever, but as any brand strategist can tell you, for every tension there’s a counter tension. The counter to division is unity, and I believe that in the coming four years, we will see a surge in brands that tell stories of togetherness…”
Friends, please pause before going forward. I have no desire to focus on all the things another person and party is doing wrong; my desire is to focus on those stories of togetherness. But right now, there’s too much finger pointing… too much “look at him” — “look what he/she is doing wrong!”…
That’s it. There’s too much focus on someone else; there is lesser focus on self or what “I” may or may not be doing wrong.
Hence, the great divide isn’t between male and female, Democrats and Republicans, or Trump supporters and Never Trumpers…
Look instead at the plethora of good thinking, wise people, who used to know it wasn’t polite, ok, respectful, or discussion-building to scream, point fingers, and tell or think of everyone else in regard to how wrong they are — those who are falling prey to ending conversation and relationships if another doesn’t feel/think/believe like them. We are falling prey to those who wish to divide. We are choosing ideology and issue over all else. We are damaging relationship.
The great political divide, therefore, isn’t between all those listed above; the great divide is within ourselves. Will we or will we not succumb to the idea that ideology is more important than relationship?
Too many groups and social media gatherings are encouraging division. And too many of us are willingly joining in… “I just can’t talk to a liberal any more… I don’t want anything to do with anyone who supports Pres. Trump.”
Yes, the divide is within ourselves.
One of the articles listed above is from an October article published on WPR.org after first broadcast on Wisconsin Public Radio. Per their site, “Wisconsin Public Radio and WPR.org welcome civil, on-topic comments and opinions that advance the discussion from all perspectives of an issue.”
Civil.
On-topic comments and opinions.
That advance the discussion.
From all perspectives.
Are we valuing all of that?
Or are we falling prey to something lesser?
Yes, the great political divide is within ourselves.
Respectfully…
AR