{"id":46179,"date":"2025-07-30T15:35:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?p=46179"},"modified":"2025-07-30T15:35:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:35:55","slug":"debunked-10-myths-keeping-us-divided","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/07\/30\/debunked-10-myths-keeping-us-divided\/","title":{"rendered":"DEBUNKED: 10 Myths Keeping Us Divided"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lot of what\u2019s dividing us isn\u2019t just politics\u2014it\u2019s myths. Myths like \u201cthe other side is misinformed,\u201d or \u201cwe\u2019re more divided than ever.\u201d They sound like hard truths, especially when we hear them echoed constantly on social media, in headlines, or around the dinner table. But most of them fall apart the second you zoom out, look at the data, or talk to someone outside your bubble. These myths don\u2019t just distort how we see each other. They keep us stuck, suspicious, and resigned. And if we want to move forward, we\u2019ve got to challenge the false narratives that tell us we can\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. “We\u2019re More Divided Than Ever.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

We hear this all the time. But history tells a different story. We\u2019ve faced deeper and deadlier divisions before: a Civil War that tore the nation apart, families split over the Vietnam War, and mass protests during the civil rights movement that saw the assassination of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. What we\u2019re living through now is serious. <\/span>Affective polarization (the tendency of partisans to view members of the opposing party negatively and those in their own party positively) is at an <\/span>all-time high<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> But amidst this polarization, there are many areas where majorities of <\/span>Democrats and Republicans agree<\/span><\/a>, even on issues as divisive as abortion and gun control. So no, we’re not holding hands and singing Kumbaya. But we\u2019ve survived worse, and we can find our way forward again.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. “If You Change Your Mind, You\u2019re Weak.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

Changing your opinion isn\u2019t a sign of weakness. It\u2019s a hallmark of intellectual strength. Research <\/span>shows<\/span><\/a> that <\/span>\u201cintellectual humility\u201d<\/b>\u2014the ability to recognize our knowledge has limits\u2014is tied to better decision-making, less polarization, and a stronger resistance to misinformation. Moreover, psychological flexibility, the capacity to adapt to new information while staying true to one\u2019s core values, is <\/span>linked<\/span><\/a> with greater well\u2011being and effective problem-solving. In short: evolving your views doesn’t make you spineless. It makes you thoughtful, engaged, and resilient\u2014the traits democracy truly needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. “The Other Side is Immoral.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

A lot of people think the “other side” doesn\u2019t just disagree\u2014they\u2019re immoral or even dangerous. But when researchers <\/span>asked<\/span><\/a> Democrats and Republicans how they felt about serious wrongdoings like tax fraud, animal abuse, or cheating on a spouse, both sides overwhelmingly disapproved. The real kicker? When asked to guess how many <\/span>opponents<\/span><\/i> would approve of those same things, people guessed <\/span>five times higher<\/span><\/i> than reality. That means we\u2019re walking around assuming the other side is fine with awful behavior, when in truth, it\u2019s almost no one. Most Americans actually share a strong moral compass. The problem isn\u2019t values\u2014it\u2019s how distorted our view of each other has become.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. “Red Areas Are Backward and Intolerant, Blue Areas Are Woke.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

Political geography isn\u2019t binary. It\u2019s a patchwork. A new <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> found that nearly 40% of U.S. cities don\u2019t fit the stereotype\u2014that <\/span>red<\/span> areas are more biased and <\/span>blue<\/span> areas are more tolerant. For instance, red cities like Knoxville and Spokane showed lower-than-expected levels of implicit racial bias. Meanwhile, blue strongholds like New York City and Chicago showed higher-than-expected levels of implicit racial bias. The real story isn\u2019t red state vs. blue state. It\u2019s that values, hopes, and frustrations cut across ZIP codes.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. “Talking Politics Always Ends in a Fight.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

Only if you treat it like a debate stage. Researchers at Stanford <\/span>found<\/span><\/a> that conversations rooted in curiosity rather than competition were more likely to reduce polarization. It turns out, asking, “What makes you feel that way?” is a better strategy than loading up your rebuttal cannon.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. “Experts Can\u2019t Be Trusted.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

We get it. Experts have made mistakes. But tossing out all expertise makes us susceptible to bad actors and grifters. Expertise is rarely perfect, but it’s still better than chaos. Studies <\/span>confirm<\/span><\/a> that <\/span>expert consensus<\/span><\/i> remains far more accurate than random guessing or individual opinions. If we throw out all experts, we\u2019ll be left with empty arguments and no one left to turn to when real knowledge is needed. What we need isn\u2019t blind trust; it\u2019s transparency and accountability. We should demand both evidence and honesty\u2014and yes, experts should be willing to say, “I don\u2019t know” more often.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. “Young People Don\u2019t Care About the Country” \/ “Older Generations Are Holding Us Back.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

False dichotomy. Gen Z is voting in record numbers. <\/span>A 2022 U.S. Census study <\/span>found<\/span><\/a> that Gen\u202fZ\u2019s voter turnout in the midterms surpassed Millennials and Gen\u202fX when they were the same age cohort, marking the third-highest youth turnout in 50 years. Meanwhile, many older Americans are leading nonprofits, running for office, and mentoring the next generation. In fact, baby boomers make up the <\/span>biggest group <\/span><\/a>of informal volunteers (volunteering on your own, without ties to an organization) in the country.<\/span> This isn\u2019t a tug-of-war. It\u2019s a relay race.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. “The Other Side is Misinformed.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

A lot of us walk around thinking <\/span>we<\/span><\/i> can spot misinformation just fine. But everyone else? Totally fooled. That\u2019s a common bias called the \u201cthird-person effect,\u201d and it basically means we assume other people are way more gullible than we are. Studies <\/span>show<\/span><\/a> most folks think they\u2019re good at spotting fake news, but don\u2019t trust others to do the same. But in reality, the \u201cother side\u201d isn\u2019t falling for everything\u2014we just tend to overestimate how smart we are <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> underestimate how thoughtful others might be.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. \u201cMedia Can\u2019t Be Trusted at All\u201d<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s true that some media outlets spin stories or focus on outrage. But the idea that <\/span>all<\/span><\/i> media is untrustworthy just doesn\u2019t hold up. <\/span>A 2019 <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> tasked professional fact-checkers with rating the accuracy of 60 news sources ranging from mainstream to hyperpartisan to blatant \u201cfake news.\u201d They found that mainstream media outlets such as <\/span>Associated Press, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal<\/span><\/i> consistently scored the highest accuracy ratings. The key isn\u2019t canceling all media. It\u2019s being a smarter media consumer. Getting your news from a <\/span>range<\/span><\/i> of credible sources, checking primary documents when possible, and being aware of bias (including your own) go a long way. Blanket distrust doesn\u2019t make you savvy\u2014it makes you vulnerable to misinformation disguised as \u201ctruth they don\u2019t want you to know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

10. “Compromise Is Selling Out.”<\/b><\/h3>\n

Nope. Compromise is how roads get paved, budgets get passed, and lives get better. T<\/span>he most important pieces of legislation throughout American history required give and take from both sides of the aisle. To break the filibuster and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Republicans voted to end segregation despite fears the act would drastically expand the power of the federal government. To pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, Democrats agreed to drop spending on clean energy, childcare, and healthcare from the bill.<\/span> Democracy isn\u2019t about winning every point\u2014it\u2019s about making progress. Holding firm to your values is fine. Just don\u2019t mistake gridlock for principle.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re Better Than the Myths<\/b><\/h3>\n

Myths are comforting. They offer simple answers, clear villains, and a sense of moral high ground. But they also flatten real people into caricatures \u2014 and that\u2019s a surefire way to stall progress. The truth is, Americans are more nuanced, more reasonable, and more aligned than these myths suggest. We don\u2019t need to agree on everything to make things better. But we <\/span>do<\/span><\/i> need to start questioning the stories that keep us divided \u2014 and make space for the ones that bring us back together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A lot of what\u2019s dividing us isn\u2019t just politics\u2014it\u2019s myths. Myths like \u201cthe other side is misinformed,\u201d or \u201cwe\u2019re more divided than ever.\u201d They sound like hard truths, especially when we hear them echoed constantly on social media, in headlines, or around the dinner table. But most of them fall apart the second you zoom…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":46180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"collection_feed":[],"type_feed":[77],"class_list":["post-46179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDEBUNKED: 10 Myths Keeping Us Divided - Builders<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A lot of what\u2019s dividing us isn\u2019t just politics\u2014it\u2019s myths. 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