Is Our World Really “More Polarized Now Than Ever Before?”

Is the world more polarized now than ever before? Or did the people who previously lacked voices attain more power for the first time, allowing them to finally share their own points of view? 

With multiple perspectives, many of which are at odds with one another, comes an expected degree of discourse. It’s unavoidable. The world is more polarized now because there are more people sharing their voices.

Maybe this polarization makes us uncomfortable because we are not so great at handling conflict. It’s difficult to sit down and discuss something deeply with another person that we whole-heartedly disagree with. It’s difficult to understand where someone is coming from when you’re coming from an entirely different place yourself. 

The only way we can hope to exist with this state of polarization is to accept the fact that diversity of opinion will always exist. It’s practically impossible to avoid it. Of course, there will be methods used by those in power to silence voices that speak out against them – taking away freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion, but the people have to continue fighting for their rights.

The people deserve to have their voices heard. It doesn’t matter if these voices cause conflict or threaten the current power structure of our society. Only by speaking up can we hope to see any real change in the world. Only by accepting polarization, will we begin to understand the merit of arguments that contrast with our own.

Maybe if people start speaking out more about their opinions, the rights they may be lacking, and their thoughts on the world, others will share similar sentiments. Maybe a single voice will cause a wave of other voices that also want the same changes in our society. 

This polarization is okay and perfectly normal. The fact that it exists should not dissuade people from stirring the pot even more. Sometimes the pot needs to be stirred so the spices are spread more evenly. Maybe we should stir the pot of our very own economic structure so that the wealth is spread more evenly. 

Or maybe we should replace the spices we have with other ones. Is that possible? Should we just make another stew entirely? 

Maybe I’m just hungry right now. 

But, seriously, I’m curious to know from whoever is reading this. Do you think that the polarization has always existed, or this point in time is different from others? Is it possible to decrease the amount of polarization that exists without silencing many groups of people? How might we learn to accept polarization as a natural part of living in a diverse society?