It’s no secret that the political parties of the U.S. have become more extreme in recent years. Republicans and Democrats have shifted so far from moderate views that our country is beginning to become dysfunctional. If we are not careful, political polarization will be the downfall of the United States.
According to a 2024 Gallup poll about political polarization, Republicans and Democrats are increasingly shifting from a moderate viewpoint and toward conservative or liberal viewpoints.
“Over the past few years, there have been shifts in political ideology within the Republican and Democratic Parties,” Gallup writer Megan Brenan said. “In 2024, the shares of Republicans identifying as conservative and Democrats identifying as liberal both reached record highs.”
This separation amongst the parties has only furthered extreme ideology on both sides and has led both conservatives and liberals to more hostility and hatred.
The most extreme political views are often associated with a general disregard for human decency and a tendency towards violence. Believers of political extremes tend to have tunnel vision. They choose not to listen to other opinions, and if another opinion is voiced, there tends to be an argument that follows.
In a 2023 Pew Research poll, 84% of U.S. adults reported political conversations becoming more disrespectful over the past few years, and 65% reported feeling exhausted when it comes to talking about politics. Additionally, when respondents were asked to describe U.S. politics in one word, the most frequent answer was “divisive.”
This data highlights the ever-growing polarization of American politics. Regardless of which party you identify with, there is hatred stemming from one towards the other. It has become increasingly difficult to have civil conversations regarding politics, and in some cases, political ideologies have destroyed relationships.
So how can we avoid the threat of a dysfunctional country? It starts with being civil. The only way to fight extremism is through understanding and empathy. We need to stop thinking that we are always right and open our minds to other perspectives. We don’t necessarily have to agree with other people’s views, but we must listen to them. Who knows? We might learn a thing or two from each other.
Just as Patrick Henry said in 1799, “United we stand, divided we fall.” We must close the divide if we want our country to prosper and continue to offer everyone the chance to live in peace.
