The Other Side Must Be Wrong

I am a well-educated white-collar worker in a big coastal city. I chose this life, and in turn this life has informed my worldview. I know I have biases; indeed, it is good to hold beliefs strongly. 

But I am self-aware enough to know that biases can create blind spots that mar my ability to properly process information and value other human beings. So I work hard to absorb information from lots of different sources. I act with intention in who I interact with and what I read, to get out of my comfort zone and hear from different and even (especially) contrary viewpoints. 

One sign of echo chambers is people are increasingly puzzled as to how the other side can possibly hold its viewpoint. Donald Trump is, of course, a uniquely polarizing figure, but this observation is not limited to his statements and deeds. What happens is that people are dumbfounded as to why someone would hold a certain position or take a certain action. Their immediate conclusion is that the other side must be either uninformed, irrational, or evil. 

Of course, this only exacerbates these divides. Imagine that you hold a certain position. Perhaps you are in the minority, perhaps you are in the majority. How does it make you feel when the other side not only disagrees with you (which, fine) but is incredulous as to how anyone who is good, informed, and level-headed could arrive at that position? 

It is annoying, to say the least, that someone hasn’t taken the time to understand the inner logic and inherent goodness of your position, and has instead jumped to the conclusion that you’re stupid or wicked or both. Do this enough, and people get radicalized to reciprocate. Substantive discourse turns into people going into their separate corners to surround themselves with other people and information that will make them feel good about themselves. 

It is human nature. But it is also sad and dangerous. I love America because it is diverse. Out of many, one people. Will this grand experiment continue to hold?