Alan Weiss on Why have we become so polarized?

I pointed out to a woman on Facebook—someone who had asked to befriend me—that there were some distinguished scientists who though global warming and climate change was not as severe a threat as some of their colleagues were positing. That’s all I said, I didn’t take a position, and that statement is an objective fact.

“Oh,” she replied, “then I see you’re a ‘denier’.”

Yikes! (What I became was actually someone who immediately unfriended her.) More than ever, it seems, you’re either “for me or against me.” That has some negative consequences, not the least of which is a complete loss of dialogue and opportunity to learn.

I have friends from all political persuasions. I understand the emotions which fuel positions on abortion, or vivisection, or assisted suicide, let alone political parties. (I read someplace that only a small percentage of possible swing voters, less than 30 percent, will actually choose their positions during an election—the rest vote Democrat or Republican no matter what the issues or candidates.) I’ve disagreed with people holding opposing views, and I’ve sometimes changed mine having listened to them. But I’ve never hated them!

In the playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, played in the latter’s home stadium, fans booed and threw containers of beer at injured Steeler quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, as he was wheeled off the field after being injured while being tackled. I’ve rarely seen such despicable behavior (and Rothlisberger is sure to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after he retires).

I’m beginning to think that the widespread, crazed egalitarianism of social media—where everyone seems to think all opinions are equal and an opinion is the same as a fact—has created “tribes” around issues which are simply interested in defending turf, no matter how ill-conceived or inappropriate. I once challenged someone who actually headed a Loch Ness Monster interest group, pointing out the confession of the hoaxer who created the most famous photo using toys and camera angles. His response: “The man was framed by authorities who don’t want to admit the monster is down there.”
Oh.

I’d suggest we all start listening more and being less defensive. The probability is that we might just learn something, or further validate our own opinion, but we’re probably not going to change the mind of someone whose visceral reaction is to brand us as a “denier.”

Once your default position is to defame and abuse other views, you only demonstrate the weakness of your own. ■