Read the article that posits three approaches to explaining the current situation in our nation in relation to political polarization.
-One original comment on the article, siding with one of the three ideas presented and then two follow-up comments. Original by Friday follow-ups by Monday. Barter
36 Comments
Veronique Pomerleau
1/29/2020 03:52:23 pm
Douthat proposes a very critical standpoint on each of the books. However he does a good job of making connections between their main ideas. He reasoned that racial divides make polarization worse than it already is and that the culture war looks indistinguishable from the class war. While it does make sense for racism to cause more issues in the culture war, encompassing controversial topics such as abortion, homosexuality, and so on, it seems that the two wars are quite different from each other as the class war is the economic antagonism that exists in society. Perhaps the connection lies within the lack of representation in the culture war of the lower class due to economic standing or lack of resources. Still, it does not appear that each encompass every if any aspect of the other.
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Sarah Cornaby
1/30/2020 04:02:42 pm
I agree that racial and cultural divisions are different in many ways, but I believe you’re correct in stating that the link between the two lies in economic standing and class warfare. One of the reasons why racial division was and still is a problem is because minorities were paid less and exiled to ghettos. These are economic problems that are based on race, and causes conflict because being able to provide for oneself and one’s family is imperative to survival, so when society takes that ability away, individuals stand up for their rights and conflicts begin.
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Emma Vaterlaus
2/2/2020 12:00:59 pm
Racial division still is a problem but not just because "minorities were paid less and exiled to ghettos". Racial divisions have been extenuated because in the past they were less financially well off, less opportunity for education and lower quality of life. Yet the stigma that still is associated with racial division is slightly over exaggerated. At this point in our nations history, we should have moved passed the prejudice and racism, yet it is still continuing to be a cause of conflict. Rights have been given to almost all citizens of the United States, once the right has been given, the opposing side should recognize that the law is now in place and not continue to patronize or extenuate racial divisions.
Sarah Cornaby
1/30/2020 03:54:47 pm
Out of the three books, I agree most with the ideas presented in Ezra Klein’s “Why We’re Polarized.” Klein’s book argues that polarization is mostly caused by individual beliefs and biases. Everyone has their own ideologies, and people tend to alter the facts to fit their views, rather than alter their views to fit the facts. This is why each side has such a difficult time persuading the others; no matter what proof they present, the other sides will inevitably find some way to explain or interpret them using their world views. Klein also reasons that there is more polarization in modern times because there is more diversity. With so many opposing viewpoints, individuals feel like they have to defend their personal beliefs more venomously on every side.
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Kambria Cash
1/30/2020 07:56:10 pm
I also agreed with Klein's ideas. Factions are certainly inherent to human nature, and we certainly cannot force any person to believe the same thing as the man standing beside him. I agree with your statement about how people alter facts to fit their views, versus the other way around. We see this everyday, and it is very difficult to convince one side to believe the other. Every person is biased to an extent and everyone's ideologies are different, and being as this cannot be prevented, I agree that we should allow diversity and differences and work towards a compromise.
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Grace Dixon
1/30/2020 08:08:03 pm
Sarah, you said most of what I wanted to say so I had to creatively rephrase my first paragraph so it didn't sound too much like yours. I like your reference Federalist 10 and Madisons belief in the inevitability of factions. I'm sure Mr. Barter appreciates it as well.
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Tristan Lewis
2/2/2020 06:10:44 pm
If I interpreted your response correctly I think that you are trying to say that polarization is unavoidable. Something that is manefested in an individual through their upbringing and the social climate that they were exposed to. The effects of education, parental values, wealth, and religion all have a significant influence in the way that someone participates and politics. These are similar to core values, values that cant be changed, but can be slightly adapted to serve a new mindset. To wrap things up, if we are on the same page then change is impossible and polarization inevitable.
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Kallie Boring
2/2/2020 08:04:59 pm
That's a really good point Sarah. It is true that polarization is inevitable and is something the founding fathers probably realized. That is why our nation is created the way it is, to support uniqueness and allow creativity, allowing this nation to function in a way that enhances our growth.
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Veronique
2/3/2020 02:08:48 pm
Conforming situations to fit ones beliefs rather than conforming ones beliefs to fit a situation is a common trend in society. This does make negotiation and compromise fairly difficult to achieve, and provoked an almost territorial mentality which contributes to polarization. The allowance of diversity and compromise are beneficial to limit polarization.
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Keely Brandt
2/3/2020 08:04:30 pm
I agree with you that polarization is inevitable. However I believe that if you try hard enough you can change someone’s mind otherwise no one would have different thoughts. I do agree that people are stubborn and it is is difficult to change their mind but it could happen.
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kambria cash
1/30/2020 07:50:11 pm
From these three books, I mostly agree with Klein's psychological approach. He believes that polarization is derived from an individual's beliefs, idea, and thoughts. It is natural for all humans to believe that what they think is correct, and we all have the ability to interpret and manipulate different ideas and opposing views in a way that supports what we wish to think. It was interesting how Klein brought up education, stating that education can be a cause if polarization, as people with more tools to interpret the world can cleverly manipulate ideas to always support their idea. I hadn't thought about this, however it does make logical sense. Each author presented their ideas with logic behind it and it can be noted that racial and class divides are a huge root of polarization. It is just a matter of 'how' they affect us.
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Calista Radovich
2/4/2020 09:12:25 pm
I hadnt thought about this fact either, but it does make sense. Those with more education and experience will use these tools ultimately to persude others that their ideas are the right ideas though a sense of authority. If one knows more about a subject they must be correct, right? Not always, but it sure does seem that way.
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Grace Dixon
1/30/2020 08:00:23 pm
I agree most with Ezra Klein's explanation for the current polarization of the United States. People tend to see things how they want to see them and manipulate facts to best benefit their point of view. Such feelings are inflamed by reporting of partisan newspapers with both sides are guilty of decrying anything they disagree with as conspiracy or "fake news". People become so cemented in their beliefs that they refuse to even consider the other sides argument instead vehemently attacking any opposing ideas. The United States's two party system only severs to tighten tensions by forcing Americans to chose between two seemingly incompatible philosophies.
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Sarah Cornaby
1/31/2020 10:07:48 am
I definitely agree that the increased education solution is unrealistic. As you pointed out, the more people learn, the more they think they know, and the more firmly they believe that their opinions and beliefs are correct.
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Keely Brandt
1/31/2020 12:28:34 pm
I agree that people are polarized because of what they believe and what they aren’t willing to realize. I also agree that that in order to really see all points of an argument is to look other peoples opinions in different party’s with different outtakes. It doesn’t truly matter what is happening because everyone is polarized because of what they grew up believing and the party that they are affiliated with.
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Emma Vaterlaus
2/2/2020 12:04:44 pm
I agree wholeheartedly. Even if new information were to arise, people default back to their core beliefs-- the beliefs they grew up with. Due to this, the polarization of america will continue unless a drastic measure is taken to avoid further division as a nation.
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Kambria Cash
2/3/2020 07:56:33 pm
I agree Keely. As humans we have a tendency to “default” to what we know, which is what we grow up believing and are influenced to believe. Not many people are capable of viewing another persons side of an argument or evaluating anothers beliefs with little to no bias. People are inherently opinionated , and due to this, polarization will always be in America.
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Kallie Boring
1/31/2020 10:55:35 pm
Out of the three accounts (although I honestly believe that they are all stupid and inaccurate in many regards) I agree most with Mr. Klein's explanation for polarization. He writes that the "brain protects itself from unwanted data and uncomfortable truths". In essence, the brain will constantly interpret information differently to always be correct in it's opinion. However, I don't agree with his perspective on racial diversity. In this regard, I appreciate the ideals of Mr. Caldwell in his constitutional reform point of view. I believe that there is a huge debate in interpreting the Constitution which divides and even defines parties. As more and more moral debates arise, the parties become increasingly more separated.
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Grace Dixon
2/3/2020 09:04:47 pm
Wow Kallie, I appreciate bluntness of your response and respect your statement. I also agree that the brain tends interpret things the way it wants to see them thus causing more tension between sides.
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Emma Vaterlaus
2/1/2020 03:53:13 pm
I agree with all of the books, but only to a certain degree.
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Zachary Shastay
2/2/2020 10:00:02 am
I believe that each of these books provide important information that could be the reason behind the partisanship within our country. But I believe that Klein's interpretation of why we are polarized is the one that makes the most sense. Over the years humans have become smarter and better understanding of the world around us. This creates division because people believe that their side is right because they have the most information to support their side of the argument without taking into affect the other side that might have valuable information to be learned. Information is this worlds gold, information is everything. I believe to become less polarized we need to take a step back from our own beliefs and be open about learning about the other side to broaden
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Tristan Lewis
2/2/2020 06:04:11 pm
I agree with your position on this matter. I would like to ask you what you would propose as a good way to reduce the amount of polarization created by partisan media. Do you think that a non biased network such as Associated Press should be used for most reporting as a way to present both sides of an argument on a single network or do you think it should be up to the individual?
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Kallie Boring
2/2/2020 08:09:28 pm
While it is wise to look at all prospectives, is it a good idea to limit polarization? Having unique beliefs can help to provide a better, more thought out nation then not. And while having fractions was a concern of the founding fathers, I believe the created our nation to be able to hold against that and use the diversity to create a nation of the people and not just one person.
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Veronique
2/3/2020 02:11:48 pm
Open mindedness is a great philosophy in limiting polarization. The only problem is not everyone sees it this way. Some refuse to see a different view point and take in potentially valuable and new information. However it would be highly beneficial to our society.
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Tristan Mercier
2/3/2020 08:04:44 pm
While open mindedness is obviously a solution, I find it far too idealistic to believe that a country as polarized as we are would be capable of that. Furthermore, reducing different viewpoints, which does lean into classical republicanism with small uniform communities, which we discussed isn’t exactly possible with the United States population.
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Tristan Lewis
2/2/2020 04:44:18 pm
Although all three of the writer provide good explanations for the growing polarization of the U.S, I beleive that Kline provides the best reasoning. Over the past few decades, communication has only grown, and with it the transmission of information has grown too. This has allowed individuals to affirm that their beliefs are correct and without any fault. This is contrary to what should be happening and only has helped create a more close minded society. There is no clear way to reduce this symptom of the media, but a less partisan source of news could vastly help to reduce such polarization.
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Tristan Mercier
2/3/2020 08:00:19 pm
I think the recognition of the increased information available is interesting, because one would think that more information would lead to more diverse viewpoints and understanding, yet you astutely point out that it has instead only divided us more as a nation. I believe trustworthy media sources do exist, however, they need to become more mainstream.
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Keely Brandt
2/3/2020 08:11:33 pm
I agree that communication has grown which makes it easier to change each other’s mind but I don’t agree that because of this people believe that they are right with no faults. Even though the media is very centered on what the network believes there are news sources that do focus purely on the facts.
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Zachary Shastay
2/3/2020 08:43:02 pm
I believe your assertion that a less partisan and more bipartisan source of news could help reduce polarization, but do you think that this would actually be attainable with the differing viewpoints in news and the hate fueled behind each news station?
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Ernest Drake
2/3/2020 09:28:21 pm
I agree that a less partisan source of news could help to stop polarization between parties in the us. Not only are there so many sources that are now available to us to gather our own opinion and recheck facts and stats, but we can easily see others points of view more easily and try and understand them a bit more.
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Calista Radovich
2/2/2020 07:24:34 pm
Of the three, i believe i agree the most with Klein's stand point. Every individual has their own opinions and it may be hard to change those opinions from a different viewpoint. As individuals, we shape facts to fit our viewpoints by obtaining as much information as possible to side with us so in an argument, we can lay down our views of a particual subject. This causes it to be hard for one to understand or accept opposing views because we change these facts to be infavor of ones self. People see things how they want to see them. This may cause divisions among people as growing diversity brings about new view points. However, this way of polorization makes you think about different sides and view points of subjects that youve never thought of before.
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Tristan Mercier
2/3/2020 07:58:12 pm
Klein’s view seems the most believable to me. Especially in our current era of fake news and alternative facts, in addition to the increased polarization, most people live in their own political echo chambers, led by the CNNs and Fox News’ of the world. This continued reinforcement of people’s beliefs serves only to make them react negatively to outside opinions and news, interpreting it only to be spun against their view or spinning it themselves to raise their side in an argument. Of course, historical precedents aren’t necessarily answered, but the general idea is still intact.
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Zachary Shastay
2/3/2020 08:45:12 pm
I completely agree with your assertion that fake news and alternative facts are the cause of the increase of polarization but do you think there is anyway to solve this issue? This issue has been around many of years and it seems extremely hard to remove it from current society.
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Ernest Drake
2/3/2020 09:25:06 pm
I agree completely that people feed their own opinion through these big news outlets that curve everything to fit their own opinion and creating a so called “echo chamber” and I believe this is probably the biggest reason for polarization in the country today. If people stoped and actually took the time to understand where the other opinions are coming from I think that they would actually realize that most people all have similar goals but are just picking each other apart instead of helping to solve problems while compromising at the same time.
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Calista Radovich
2/4/2020 09:08:29 pm
I agree with you and i like how you mentioned specific news sources. This shows how specific sources are used to reach specific people which only further supports the point that people will believe what they want to. I like to wonder about if there will ever be a time where news sources have unbiased opinions and just state clear facts so that minds wont be tempted to think one way or another.
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Maddie Peters
2/4/2020 11:08:27 am
I agree with Klein’s point of view out of all three articles. He believes that polarization is physiological and basically human nature. This being said, polarization is going to occur no matter the factors that are present. We are always going going believe that our opinion is correct but these opinions can be swayed.
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