COLUMN | Navigating conversations with people with different political beliefs

I believe it is clear that Gen Z will be defined by the political division of the last decade. Our generation and the generations before us have sowed a landscape that is treacherous for our country and threatens the greatest parts of humanity: empathy and human connection.

Election years heighten emotions and strengthen walls built to protect our personal values from attack, minimizing openings for dissenting opinions. No matter your party affiliation, many voters in this election believe the stakes could not be higher for the future of the country.

While conflicts centered around political parties are nothing new, the level at which political allegiance is being psychologically weaponized this election season is unprecedented. The petty insults our nominated Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates hurl at each other have seeped into our conversations about politics, turning them hostile. Political strategy seems to have turned from emphasizing policy to convincing voters to demonize each other. This has caused people to isolate themselves from their daughters, sons, parents and friends. 

However, our politicians cannot take sole responsibility for the nation’s political polarization. We allow their offensive messaging to be as effective as it is. 

When we weld ourselves so completely to a political party that it begins to splinter our personal relationships, we become complicit in the spread of the disease that is dividing our nation. The villainization of people who have been established as our opposition is perpetuated by the dissemination of misinformation, unchecked confirmation bias and an unwillingness to ask questions and truly listen to the answers.

Devotion to our political parties is often uninformed and relies on our ignorance. Political misinformation has run rampant for years and become an invasive species, taking over social media. Misinformation is usually defined as false information spread without the intent to mislead. It exists because we don’t bother to research the information we see or share if it plays into our previously held beliefs about the world and how it operates. Why would we, when information that conflicts with our beliefs causes us such mental discomfort? 

When our beliefs are challenged and we feel uncomfortable, we choose to become defensive rather than informed. 

We surround ourselves with misinformation, preferring it to truth. I am guilty of this every time I open social media; the posts I’ve shared and engaged with have created a personalized algorithm that acts as a protective bubble. The bubble deflecting everything I don’t want to hear. It has left me vulnerable in political debates (often had with my family) more times than I am willing to admit. 

I believe we have forgotten the value of peaceful disagreement. We don’t have to neglect our personal values in favor of the truth. They can work together, and they should when engaging in debate. This is how we should form our opinions. We do ourselves a disservice when we react to rebuttals in anger instead of asking questions to learn more about our opponent’s stance. When you are armed with the truth rather than misinformation, asking questions is not damning to your argument. 

We also must understand that the current political divide exists not simply because of differences of opinions but differences in the realities in which all of us reside. Every one of us builds communities around the realities in which we live that are based on our history, culture and values. Like social media algorithms, these realities become our protective bubbles. 

Isn’t this understandable? Don’t we all do this? Wouldn’t you rather surround yourself with people who will embrace what you bring to the table rather than throw it in the trash because they don’t relate? 

My argument isn’t inherently against shared realities, but when they turn in the direction of political tribalism. The truth is that we don’t talk to each other anymore. Not if we know what side of the political spectrum they fall on. Why do that when we’ve already painted a clear picture in our head of who that person is? 

The shared realities we’ve built and the misinformation we cling to for comfort and confidence rip us apart from the truth. 

It is true that we are all human. It is true that, at our core, we desire understanding, connection and respect. Instead of focusing on our personal shared realities, we must focus on our shared humanity. Most of us want a safe, stable country. We want to be treated fairly, we want equitable access to opportunities and we want those we love to thrive.

So where do we go from here? I believe we start by making small but powerful changes in our approach to political discussions. Instead of engaging in conversations as though they’re competitions, we should treat them as opportunities for mutual growth. We should ask questions that encourage understanding rather than confirm our biases. We should practice the humility to accept when we don’t know something and the curiosity to find out more and expect the same from others. 

Our generation is not too far gone. We have the time and ability to bridge the existing political divides before they widen beyond repair. It simply requires a determination to be vigilant about the information we consume and the willingness to take responsibility for our words and the impact they have on our communities. 

So, readers, in the next political debate you find yourself in, which I’m sure will be soon, open your eyes to the person in front of you. Aim to create a new shared reality where you are bonded based on your love for each other and the country, not divided by a political party.