Understanding the ‘Other Side’ is More Important Than Ever

Editor’s Note: This column originally published Published on The Fulcrum and republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. Photograph: Katelyn Perry on Unsplash.

For some of us, even reading the title of this article can be disturbing, even maddening. If you fear Trump’s election, being asked to understand “the other side” may seem like a distant concern compared to your fears about what might happen during his presidency. If you are happy that Trump won, you may want to say: “We won; we don’t need to listen” – or maybe you are angry about the pushback you are seeing from “the other side”.

As before the election, most of us are afraid of what the “other side” wants and will do. But even in the midst of our fears and anger, We must see that understanding each other is more important than ever. When we cannot understand each other, we alienate each other and increase our differences.

His easier than we think Americans are on both sides of the political divide. The narratives we adopt can depend on the people around us, the media we consume, the particular issues we care about, among other factors.

You can think of our two main political narratives as two streams forming on top of a mountain. When it rains, water will flow one way or another due to various initial conditions and obstacles. Some of the water will go directly to the stream; some will find their way through unexpected paths and back channels.

And once you get into that current, it can be hard to see or understand the other way. It is difficult to understand how the other river forms and flows in various ways: on the other side of the mountain, out of our view.

To be clear, We are not saying that every stance is equally rational.; we’re just talking about the ease with which we find ourselves on different sides of that mountain.

We know many Americans have it. distorted views from those on the “other side”. Even if we have fears about certain leaders, we should see this as important. Separating leaders from their voters. We should be curious about the concerns of our citizens. We must be willing to consider whether our views of “them” are overly pessimistic and whether that pessimism might fuel divisions among us.

Whatever our political goals or fears, it is crucial to resist the temptation to always assume the worst about “the other side.”

Anti-Trump Americans should see support for Trump does not equal racism or bigotry. They should seek to understand the many defensible concerns of Trump voters, which may include: Dislike of liberal-related stancesconcerns illegal immigrationand views held by Trump and Republicans treated unfairly By liberal-leaning institutions.

Pro-Trump Americans should try to see this: reasons Why do many Americans, not just those with liberal views? anxious About Trump and see him this way: a serious threat. They should try to understand this view. Republicans’ mistrust of the 2020 election was wrong and dangerous.

Americans can and will certainly disagree on these issues, but We further increase our disagreement when we act as if all of our opponents’ concerns are completely irrational. When we condescendingly ignore and ridicule each other’s concerns, we socially kerosene lamp relative to each other.

If you find yourself describing “them” in the worst possible way – referring to your competitors as: cult membersor brainwashedor use similar insults — you should see this It increases the distance between us. This way you make your competitors see you as the “bad guy”. Nobody is winning in this tone-deaf war.

We must keep in mind that our opponents rarely support anything “for themselves” that we view as extreme and harmful. Our behavior these days is less about supporting “our side” and more about supporting “our side.” fighting against the “other side.” (And sometimes our enthusiasm for particular leaders is based on the view that they are fighting hard against “them.”) Keeping this in mind helps us see our political opponents in more nuanced, less judgmental ways.

Our hostility towards each other It even affects our beliefs: can take us to take more extreme poses. Our inability to understand each other can turn issues into stark “good versus evil” choices. Hostility can act like a centrifugal, pushing our ideas outward and making conversation and compromise impossible. (A harmful way to end: hostility makes us More likely to distrust election results we don’t like it.)

Our emotions can also lead us to form unreasonably certain views of the future. As psychologist Adam Grant writes: “If you think you know what the next four years will be like, you’re wrong.” (Grant writes from an anti-Trump perspective, but whatever your politics, we hope you’ll see the wisdom in what he says.) Reaching for definitive, pessimistic predictions reinforces the cycle of conflict and drags both sides into a stalemate. arms race It consists of emotion and action.

By understanding each other better, we will reduce the demand for divisive political approaches. We will disagree in better ways. At least we will prevent the gap between us from widening further. Seeing the best in each other, despite what our instincts tell us Negative It means giving up our principles. This is not a weakness, it is a strength; even aiding political activism.

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Works at Elwood buildersa non-partisan organization aimed at overcoming toxic polarizationand is the author of the following book:Neutralizing American anger.”