Post by Stefan Zutt

Is political polarisation something to worry about, what does latest research say? Eelco Harteveld, Lars Erik Berntzen, Andrej Kokkonen, Haylee K., Jonas Linde and Stefan Dahlberg of University of Amsterdam, University of Bergen (UiB), University of Gothenburg, Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) and Mid Sweden University have news https://t.ly/L7Y3r, kindly summarised by Amanda Schei. There are several interesting patterns. And it all leads to the question: Why can’t the hanger-on of different political camps (and any other segregated fandoms) just easily reconcile their stands?... When speaking of reconciliation, it is based first and foremost on human beings having to empower themselves, through self-love as well as through intellect, rationality and logic, to reconcile with their self above all else. The truth, however, is that very few humans do this; consequently, countless humans go through life unreconciled with themselves, harming their self in various kinds and ways and tormenting themselves to the point of despair. And this happens because they cannot reconcile their self to the fact that they are insulted, deceived, betrayed, slandered, lied to, subject to disparagement or vilification by fellow humans, or because their existence has not brought them what they wished for or still wish for, or because their life has not unfolded or is not unfolding in a way that corresponds to their long-held hopes and plans. Thus, they struggle with their destiny and with all the disappointments that life has brought them or continues to bring them. Consequently, they are at odds with their self and cannot accept themselves with love; as a result, they are unable to reconcile either with themselves or with the humans who inflict suffering, harm or unright upon them. Of course, they would like to be different – more positive, more intelligent, more self-affirming, more successful and more lovable – perhaps also to look better or be more prosperous, because they have a very specific ideal of themselves in this regard, which they would like to meet. Yet all this remains beyond their reach because they are unable to show themselves love and to reconcile with their self. Reconciliation has not only personal but also interhuman, and indeed even social and political dimensions; because if no reconciliation takes place in these directions, then terrible things arise, leading as far as murder and manslaughter, as well as wars. If humans are unreconciled with one another, they become estranged from one another – and from within their own ranks – and drive the division ever further. In this way, through such divisions born of irreconcilability, entire families, communities, friendships and acquaintances are destroyed, as are entire states, when, through these divisions of irreconcilability, political and military tensions are inflamed, giving rise to murderous and catastrophic wars. #PoliticalBehaviour #AffectivePolarisation #Democracy