Troubles abound and I can’t put my head in the sand...but to preserve inner peace I (among other things) avoid talking heads biased left or right and read BBC and NPR news—both billed as “center” by AllSides Media Bias Ratings (allsides.com). A few nights ago, however, my peace—and sleep—were threatened by the potential rupture of a valued relationship. My friend and I had agreed NOT to talk about politics...but then we did, and out came the differences that threaten to divide us. But must they divide; should they divide?
A middle-of-the-night search for answers led me to a study by More in Common (MiC) (moreincommon.com), an international initiative “set up in 2017 to build communities and societies that are stronger, more united and more resilient to the increasing threats of polarization and social divisions.” MiC’s research/report Hidden Tribes (hiddentribes.us) breaks Americans into seven groups, from left to right. The most active groups are on the extremes—Progressive Activists on the left (8% of Americans) and Devoted Conservatives on the right (6%). Members of both tend to be white, wealthy, educated and very vocal.
Roughly two-thirds of Americans fall into what the Hidden Tribes authors call “the exhausted majority.” Exhausted by what? The polarization, the mud-slinging. We, the majority, agree with the need to do more listening and compromising. Who will lead us?
Conservative political and cultural commentator David Brooks notes: "Unfortunately, people in the exhausted majority have no narrative...no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action, [but] when they get one I suspect it will look totally unlike the two dominant narratives today. These narratives are threat narratives. But the people who make positive change usually focus on gifts, not deficits. They tell stories about the assets we have and how we can use them together."
Conservative political and cultural commentator David Brooks notes: "Unfortunately, people in the exhausted majority have no narrative...no coherent philosophic worldview to organize their thinking and compel action, [but] when they get one I suspect it will look totally unlike the two dominant narratives today. These narratives are threat narratives. But the people who make positive change usually focus on gifts, not deficits. They tell stories about the assets we have and how we can use them together."
During a recent trip to Pennsylvania, I met poet and peacemaker Katrina Gehman. I was inspired by her short, engaging video Cardinal Directions https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2djOVlDcDM&list=PL7d7SIWC7wewD-Y6D7bIEN27ERybBC4s8&index=2
I sent Katrina info on More in Common and she responded with info on Braver Angels (braverangels.org), a diverse group of Americans “come together to answer back to those forces that would tear us apart through partisan cynicism and political tribalism.” Today I became a dues-paying member ($12 annual). I want to be a peacemaker and my first task was to write this post and email the link to friends and family.
