There is a solution, however, to this toxic fragmentation of the populace. You know that neighbor
There is a solution, however, to this toxic fragmentation of the populace. You know that neighbor
Over the duration of this course, we have also been undergoing our current primary presidential election race, as Abramowitz has expressed in “The Polarized Public?” the polarization, the divide, that separates individuals as well as certain groups of people from each other and their beliefs has been evident in these debates. Many such as Fiorina and his coauthors may express the situation to be on the contrary, but Abramowitz even mentions that Fiorina fails to acknowledge that in Americans today “sorting by party is actually an important contributor to the growing ideological polarization among the public and especially among the politically engaged public” (pg. XV, Abramowitz, A.), it is evident that…
According to King and Peterson, both lecturers at Kennedy school, congressional gridlock may occur as the result of the political impact of an ordinary citizen due to the exposure to media which influences them in a way that citizens only want to listen to what pleases them and avoid listening to what makes them uncomfortable. How they are involved in politics at both local and national level (Lorch & Steinman, 2013)…
Once we become open to listening to others' opinions, they are more likely to be more receptive to our opinions. “Teaching people to listen better to those with different political views is helpful for those who want to understand one another” (The…
One of the most divisive topics in today’s society is politics. Our political system consists of two major parties; Republicans and Democrats. There are similarities between the parties, but they are often eclipsed by vast ideological differences. The most obvious differences lie in social issues; such as same-sex marriage, gun control, and immigration reform. According to a Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2014, 36% of Republicans and 27% of Democrats see the opposing party as a threat to the nation’s well-being (Sherman, D. and Van Boven, L. 9/24/14). Media outlets focus on the differences between the two parties, but people may be surprised at how much Republicans and Democrats have…
Daniel Westfall Essay Political polarization, defined as “the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes.” in the United States is a highly concerning trend, marked by strong ideological differences and escalating tensions between the two major political factions. Overall, there are many causes and effects of polarization, however, three key factors are the most important: the influence of Congress, demographic shifts, the impact of social media, and the importance of addressing these issues. Not only will the causes be discussed, but the consequences of polarization, including the demonization of opponents, political violence, and challenges in foreign policy, will be talked about. One of the primary causes of political polarization in the United States is the behavior of Congress and its impact on public debates…
Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" Barton was a pioneer nurse who founded the American Red Cross. In addition to being a hospital nurse, she worked as a teacher, patent clerk, and humanitarian. At a time when relatively few women worked outside the home, Barton built a career helping others. She was never married, as she knew the restrictions of a married woman at the time, but had a relationship with John J. Elwell. During the end of the American Civil War, Barton worked at a hospital she made helping the people at the Andersonville prison camp where 13,000 people died.…
During the first weeks of class, students learned about what political polarization is. The authors from Political Polarization in American Polarization see America on a level where polarization is increasing, especially in the state legislature. However, authors from Culture War? would disagree, saying that America is not becoming more polarized, rather political activists are the ones who are polarized. The Frontline documentary “Divided States of America-2” provides insightful information on the process of America becoming more polarized. After class discussions based on assigned readings and watching the Frontline documentary, one can come to the conclusion that America is polarized to a certain extent. Political activists and politicians make America polarized, but uninformed citizens contribute little to the polarization that…
One of the main topics James Surowiecki concentrates on is, “group polarization.” This is when a few members of the small group takes a side on the extreme opposites. Some of the group might be on the extreme yes side, while others are on the extreme no side. Surowiecki touches on the downfalls of group polarization in small groups by saying, “Deliberation does not moderate, but rather radicalizes people’s point of view.” (Surowiecki Page 479)What Surowiecki is saying is that when in a discussion in a small group the topic of deliberation makes people side with an extreme, there really is no middle ground when people make their decisions. Group polarization is so common among small groups there have been…
Since Roberto Nevilis introduced it to the world as a punishment in 1905, there have been many arguments to whether or not homework should be required. What initially started as punishment for kids who messed around in class has become a mandatory task that all students are required to do daily. I’m here to end that, I intend to show you that students should not be required to complete homework for a grade. Homework consumes too much time and leaves no space for extracurricular activities and causes health problems. On top of that, many students don’t even have the resources required to complete the homework. Despite these things, homework is still a graded assignment that if failed to complete, can drastically bring down a student's grade.…
There is no doubt that the United States’ democracy is cherished by Americans and even envied by other nations. Giving power to the people is a privilege and it gives citizens a sense that their opinion matters. In the recent decades, the U.S. has started to become more politically polarized than it has ever been before. This means that the separation between the liberals and conservatives, or Democrats and Republicans, is very evident and continuing to grow. Polarization can be seen as an accessory to democracy in the sense that it makes the different sides of controversial issues very clear to the public, ultimately leading to a higher voter turn out.…
Online, physically, or verbally you can be a victim of being bullied. You don’t have to keep things as they are. The question is how to handle the situation (Do you attack the bully and become the bully yourself? Or do you ignore the bully and pretend all is well?) What you do is speak up and ask for help. I would know, because not only was I a victim, I was also a person who stood by and simply watched it happen.…
Have you ever heard a group of people arguing about which candidate is the best option for the United States, or who will take the correct stance against various political issues? Have you ever wondered where these individuals get their opinions from? Passionate ideas about politics do not just randomly pop into a person’s mind. These ideas are cultivated and nurtured through different processes and factors. The forming of these thoughts and political beliefs are known as “political socialization” (Ginsberg, Benjamin et al. 217).…
1930s- In the 1930s money was scarce because of the depression. People tried what they could too to keep themselves happy. They would watch movies, play games, and such. In the great depression the American dream had become a nightmare. The great place that was once called the land of opportunity was now known as the land of desperation. The best place for a better life was California.…
"It's not just a game," to many athletes this statement rings true. Sports fuel the drive and determination within people, and provide them an essential learning tool from which they can grow. Competitive is defined as, "of or relating to a situation in which people or groups are trying to win a contest or be more successful than other : relating to or involving competition ."(merriam-webster.com) This concept of competitiveness is the foundation of all sports. The competitive spirit and thirst to want to better oneself in order to be at the top is a fueling force that will propel our children far beyond their years on the court. Providing children with equal playing time in youth sports discourages the necessary need for healthy competition and takes away valuable life lessons that will prepare them for the future.…
Group polarization is the tendency for individuals to form and make decisions that are more extreme than they would in individual situations. For instance, if a number of individuals who support abortion sat down and discussed their perspectives, at the end of the discussion each person would have a stronger, more extreme opinion of why abortion is acceptable. As individuals who support the procedure will typically support their arguments with points such as “the woman should have autonomy over her body,” “a fetus is not yet a child,” etc. Because they all agree on these ideas already, it is not likely that they will discuss that some individuals consider a fetus to be a child, in fact, they may purposefully avoid this point in order to come to a conclusion more easily. In order to advance as a society on the issue of abortion, we need to see and accept other people’s views and opinions and not just our own, so we can come to a middle ground agreement about the polarizing…