TIm Liu, Period 7, 12/13/2023

 Tim Liu, Period 7, 12/13/2023

Modern Mythology 2024

Socio-political Consciousness

Current Topic: Political Polarization

I want to talk about political polarization, which I would define as the growing gap in the political spectrum between the values of Republicans and Democrats. In recent years, political polarization has increased, which heightens tensions due to mass media and the public's political ideology. According to the Pew Research Center, they stated that "In 2014, Pew Research, a non-partisan "fact tank" according to its website, reported the percentage of Americans who consistently express either liberal or conservative views has more than doubled over the past two decades from 10% to 21%. In the same series of surveys, Pew Research also found that "partisan antipathy" increased significantly during this period. Among Republicans, the percentage that held "very unfavorable" views of the Democratic Party jumped from 17% to 43%.

Similarly, the percentage of Democrats who held unfavorable views of the GOP also rose sharply from 16% to 38%." It has been a problem for those individuals with minority political views who want to raise their voices in red or blue states. This fact incites strong feelings toward me, especially as I'm a person with conservative values living in NYC. I have always loved to talk about politics at home. However, I was afraid to raise my voice and engage in discussions about politics in a liberal environment, such as at school, work, or anywhere outside. For example, when talking about trans women participating in the women's category of sport, I was afraid to talk about my stance against their participation since it might sound like I'm homophobic. One time, when my class had to vote on whether torture should be to punish or interrogate criminals, I was extremely hesitant after no one in the class thought it was morally right, leaving the question uncontested. People around me always talk about how idiotic, ignorant, and racist conservatives are; however, it's not true for most Republicans. Biases and exaggeration in the media tend to mislead average citizens, badmouthing parties they strongly oppose. The increase in political polarization has led to skepticism in American institutions. Instead of accepting individuals' views and values, political polarization causes people to treat opposing party supporters as enemies. This divides not only people but also the entire country and the government. I think that individuals must understand and empathize with others' diverse perspectives and respect their view even when their values don't align with theirs.