It’s no use, the other side is hopeless

I looked at the ratings for my book on Amazon, and I saw a comment to the effect that the other side is so embedded, there is no hope they will change. I also hear that often from someone in my life.

But that’s not true. Sure, there are the extremes — but that’s what they are, the extremes. They aren’t the majority.  

We are misled about the majority because the media — chasing ratings and clicks — draws attention to the extremes. That’s what we read about and that leads us to misunderstand the overall landscape.

Here’s a quote from the report on the research:

“Even on the most controversial issues in our national debates, Americans are less divided than most of us think. This is good news for those worried about the character of this country. The majority of Americans hold views that may not be so different from your own.”

Source: https://perceptiongap.us/

So, while I agree that the extremists may never change their minds, there is hope that we can have an effect on most people. And if the majority can come together, that will make a big difference.

We can’t let the media keep us from talking to one another and getting past our differences. It’s important to have the day-to-day conversations so we can have a truer picture of where we are.