This election season has been an intense one, and Americans are more polarized than ever. According to the Pew Research Center, 80% of Trump and Biden voters say they have a few or no friends who support the opposing candidate.
Americans are also very skeptical of the party opposite theirs: 81% of Republicans believe the Democratic Party has been “taken over by socialists,” while 78% of Democrats believe the Republican Party has been “taken over by racists,” according to Public Religion Research Institute.
Political polarization is not a new phenomenon in America. However, the current divisiveness we’re experiencing is unique, according to psychology professor Eli J. Finkel of Northwestern University.
“What we have [now] is an alignment of social identities that correspond to our political identities in a way that we’ve never seen before…You have this alignment in a way that the two sides feel increasingly different from one another,” Finkel said in an interview with Scientific American.
Given that Americans are much more likely to disagree over politics now, it is likely that friends and family are butting heads over political disagreements. Tensions have certainly been heightened at dinner tables around the country. Some have even ended friendships. We talked with some UConn students to see what they think about fighting over politics.
UConn Ecology & Evolutionary Biology senior Shane Gorneault does not think politics should matter when it comes to friendships.
“I wouldn’t let differences over politics end any of my relationships because it is not an indicator of one’s moral fiber. Most people want the same things, however political leaders and the media skew everything and pit us against each other. This is why it’s important to understand where others are coming from when they express opposing views,” he said.
Jason Spencer, a UConn senior majoring in Human Development and Family Science, said friendships should not end over politics unless the person has bigoted beliefs.
“If you are immature enough to end a friendship over politics it’s a negative reflection on yourself. However, an exception would be if they support homophobia, misogyny, or racism. Then, it is a completely different story,” he said.
Here are some questions:
How much does politics matter in your relationships? Do you think you could be close with someone with opposing political beliefs?
Do you find yourself disagreeing with your friends and family over politics?
Would you consider ending a friendship or other relationship because of differing political opinions?
Do you think the political polarization is justified?
Talk about it with your friends and family!