Polarization

Some of the astronauts noticed, looking out their windows at the whole Earth, that they couldn't see the political boundaries between countries. They might have noticed, as well, that they couldn't see the boundaries between Left and Right, which are even more imaginary.

The closer we look at everyone on the Left, the more we find differences between them on most of the important issues. The same is true on the Right. And the more we talk among each other, across these supposed divides of Left and Right, the more common ground we discover.

Sure, there are differences between Left and Right. But the chasm is only as big as we think it is. Most people, regardless of whether we or they think of themselves as Left or Right, are not extremists or unreasonable. Most people want to have a country and world that work for all and would like to find better ways to have that. Most people want a healthy democracy.

Polarization usually undermines our co-intelligence. Overcoming polarization requires conversation across the divides. So lets talk with each other and find out who we all REALLY are and how we might make better communties and a better world together.

The articles below explore this important and remarkable subject.

Co-intelligence articles on polarization

Michael Moore, Polarization and Power: A timely lesson in co-intelligence

A Personally Transformational Encounter of Left and Right

The Seasons Conference Declaration to Move Beyond Polarization
         (which became the Lets Talk America Petition you can sign)

Exploring the Dynamics of Polarization

Polarization Dynamics and a Passion for Inclusion

Polarization and Intelligence

A June/July 2004 flurry of published articles on polarization

"The Great Divide" series of articles by Bill Bishop in The Austin American-Statesman <http://www.statesman.com/greatdivide>

"Party loyalties color our views of reality" by David Brooks, The New York Times, June 16, 2004
<http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/2004/06/16/news/editorial/8932748.htm>

"Move beyond warring, partisan camps" by David Brooks, The New York Times, June 29, 2004
<http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/2663688>

"How Polarization Sells" by Robert J. Samuelson, Washington Post, June 30, 2004
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16180-2004Jun29.html>

"Liberals making same mistake in the rush to sling mud"
by Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, June 30, 2004
<http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/4855190.html>

"Limbaughing to the left?" by Ellen Goodman, Boston Globe, July 1, 2004
<http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/07/01/limbaughing_to_the_left/>

"Moore's Public Service" by Paul Krugmann, July 2, 2004
<http://www.pkarchive.org/column/070204.html>

"Bowling with the Like-Minded" by Jonah Goldberg, National Review, July 9, 2004
<http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldberg200407091316.asp>

Other relevant articles

"Is there a Genuine New Politics Beyond Left and Right?" by Corrine McLaughlin, 2001
<http://www.visionarylead.org/beyond_left_and_right.htm>